Ianto's Journey
by Aviv b
Summary: Ianto's life from just prior to joining TW1 through Season 2 and beyond. Non-canon, Not CoE compliant. Most chapters K to T, but overall rated M due to some more adult material later on. Involves the entire team, especially Ianto, Owen and Jack.
1. Walls Fall Down

SUMMARY: How Ianto joined Torchwood One and what happens to him during The Battle for Canary Wharf.

Within six months after being hired by Torchwood One, Ianto's world was irreparably altered. Twice.

He had been hired straight from University after earning a degree in Software Engineering with a specialty in information architecture systems design. While he hadn't been the most diligent of students, he managed to snag an interview with a Torchwood on-campus recruiter. He had performed only adequately during his interview and normally would have not been asked to Torchwood for a round of intelligence and performance tests. But the recruiter sensed something unusual about Ianto and invited him to come to Torchwood for further testing. Her instincts were rewarded as he had shown astonishing aptitude on some of them. His ability to synthesize bits and pieces of information into a coherent framework scored in the 99th percentile. Memory capabilities tested at near perfect recall. He also showed above average empathic ability, which could be developed by Torchwood later in his career.

He could hardly believe it when Torchwood One offered him a job as a Junior Archivist. He wasn't quite sure what actually went on at Torchwood, but he knew it was secret government business and that he was about to enter a very exclusive 'club.' He used most of his savings to buy a couple of nice suits, several dress shirts and ties along with a pair of dressy black oxfords.

Every morning he painstakingly prepared for work. The carefully pressed suit, the fresh shirt and tie and his polished shoes let the world know he was a professional, ready to make his mark on the world. He felt so proud to be working for Torchwood, even if he didn't fully believe that aliens existed.

His girlfriend, Lisa, however, was not impressed. She felt he could have done better. From her standpoint, he was nothing more than a glorified clerical employee. And in addition to being quite attractive, Lisa was a very ambitious woman. She was going on to graduate school and was sure she'd continue on to her doctorate degree in Applied Mathematics.

The academic world despised all things government in general and Torchwood in particular. When she told her graduate advisor that her boyfriend worked for Torchwood, he had looked at her over his reading glasses and sighed, "Ah yes Torchwood, we're always hearing rumors about experiments and scientific discoveries going on there, but apparently they can't be bothered to publish their results in respectable journals." Lisa shuddered every time she thought about that conversation. Lately, she had taken to having lunch with Professor Whitman, a highly respected Associate Professor in line for a full Professorship in a year or two. He was much more in line with what she was looking for in a future husband.

Lisa planned her breakup with Ianto as carefully as she planned everything else in her life. She invited him out to dinner (her treat) at a quiet, rather posh restaurant figuring that the atmosphere would prevent him from getting too emotional and making a scene. She dressed rather severely for an evening out; after all she didn't want his mind to be focused on _other_ things. Nursing a glass of wine she gave him her most sympathetic smile and told him that she didn't think things were working out in their relationship. She was quite surprised when Ianto told her that he agreed, wished her well, stood up and walked out of the restaurant.

Ianto smiled to himself, "Good thing Charlie told me about her messing about with that Professor. I'd be a right mess if she had caught me unawares." In fact, he had had a bitter argument with his best friend at college Charlie Mackenzie, accusing him of making up the story because he was jealous of his relationship with Lisa. But later, Ianto couldn't deny that Lisa had seemed cold and distant lately, and their lovemaking had become almost mechanical.

It didn't take long for Ianto to confirm that Charlie was right. After an evening of watching a video at Ianto's flat, Lisa had declined to stay over saying she had an early class the next morning. In her haste to leave, she forgot her cell phone on his coffee table. Feeling a little guilty, he checked her cell phone logs and found numerous calls to a number belonging to a Professor Whitman (she had him on speed dial no less). Many of the calls were made late at night. In fact, a few were made at about the time Lisa would have gotten home after declining several times recently to stay at Ianto's.

He called Charlie and told him what he had found. Charlie knew Ianto was probably heartbroken; Lisa had been his first serious girlfriend and they had dated for over a year. "No, no, I'm OK, really. I guess I knew even before you told me, I just didn't want to believe it."

As he walked home from the restaurant, he realized that it really was OK. He had cried some the night he found the phone logs, but when he woke up the next day, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. And now, he felt, well, happy, and more than ready to try his luck with dating again.

He called Charlie when he got home, telling him what had happened and agreeing to go clubbing with him over the weekend. "You just wait and see Ianto, the girls are going to be all over you." Ianto laughed.

Ianto had been somewhat shy when he started college, and the teasing he came in for over his Welsh accent hadn't helped. His first year had been pretty lonely. But gradually his quick wit and dry humor had won his classmates over; he joined a chess club and played rugby with some of them on weekends. His dating life had improved as well. He matured physically, his gawky, too thin body adding some muscle and grace. Lisa had met him just as his popularity was rising, and they quickly became an item. And Lisa made sure that nobody interferred in her relationship with Ianto.

Now, as Ianto nervously re-entered the dating world he was astonished to find that Charlie was right. Dressed in slim black jeans and a plain black T-shirt that accentuated his pale skin, he attracted the attention of quite a few women (not to mention a few men as well). His remaining touch of shyness just added to his charm. Whether they wanted to mother, romance or just fuck themselves senseless with Ianto, he never seemed to be without admirers.

Charlie was happy for Ianto. He had never liked Lisa and was glad that Ianto was getting a chance to just have some fun without getting serious again with someone right away. And most of women Ianto met were very impressed that he worked for Torchwood. It made quite a nice change, really.

One thing that Lisa was right about was that his job as junior archivist was mostly clerical in nature. He was charged with describing alien artifacts and logging them into the data system so that more experienced employees could analyze how they might relate to other items already in the system. It didn't take long for his supervisors to realize that Ianto could look at an item and with almost without exception see the similarities between it and anything else he had logged in.

Within three months (and a week after Lisa broke up with him) he was promoted to Artifact Analyst I. After the junior archivists logged an item, Ianto's job was to search the entire database and compare the items to everything in the archives. To be successful, he spent hours studying not only the database logs but the items themselves. Something about the rows and rows of strange looking gadgets fascinated him. Having always been interested in understanding how things worked and fit together, he'd lose himself for hours in the archives, walking the aisles, reading item descriptions, thinking about how they could be related to each other.

His obsession with alien artifacts was what saved him. He was alone in the lower level of the archives the morning the Cybermen attacked. He heard people running and screaming, large items crashing around, and instinctively moved to a remote corner of the vast space. Horrible inhuman voices shouted out strange commands; it seemed to go on for hours. Just as suddenly he felt something shift, almost like time had stopped. He could still here people screaming and sobbing, but the sound of machinery and voices yelling "Upgrade" and "Exterminate" were gone.

He tried to leave the archives only to find both exits blocked by debris. He smelled smoke and began to panic. There was no way out. He paced the archives and yelled for help as his mind raced with terrible thoughts. He was sure no one would find him before he was crushed or burned to death. "Shit," he thought, "I don't want to burn to death, anything but that!"

He yelled for help again but no one came. He had a bottle of sleeping pills on him that he had picked up at the pharmacy that morning. All the talk about ghost shifts by his coworkers had made him edgy and he'd had trouble sleeping the past few weeks. Rationally he knew that 10 pills wouldn't be enough to kill him, but maybe he could drug himself enough so that he wouldn't be aware when the smoke or fire or crushing weight of the building finally ended his life. Ianto pulled the bottle out of his pocket and palmed the tiny white tablets.

He sat down on the floor and stared at them. Tears fill his eyes when he thought about his Mam and Lisa. Would his body ever be found? Would his Mam at least be able to have a funeral? Would Lisa even care? "Oh, that's a good one Ianto," he thought, "she dumped you like yesterday's garbage and you're worrying about how she'll feel when she hears you're dead. You're an idiot."

Ianto could feel that he was beginning to lose control of his emotions. If he was going to do this, it had to be now. Quickly, he tossed the pills in his mouth and choked them down. He sat down, back against a storage closet, pulled his knees up toward his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. A little while later, as he was beginning to feel foggy, he heard something in the building give way and the ceiling of the archives began to fall on him. Something smashed down directly on top of him; it hurt like hell but he couldn't react except to think "this can't be good."


	2. Collateral Damage

SUMMARY: Owen & Jack assist with search & rescue at Torchwood One after the battle at Canary Wharf

**_All that happens is that the destruction of human beings (unless they're Americans) is called collateral damage. Harold Pinter _**

Captain Jack Harkness, head of Torchwood Three was saddened but not surprised when he received the call from UNIT Brigadier Lloyd Hamilton. Torchwood One had fallen. Yvonne Hartmann and her insane ghost shift experiments had finally reached a disastrous end. He listened to the Brigadier describing the Cybermen invasion, the Dalek counter-attack and the intervention by The Doctor.

Most of the 2200 people working at Torchwood One were dead, but Brigadier Hamilton thought there might still be survivors.

"I'm sending a helicopter for you and your medic. Technically this is still a search and rescue operation at this point. But put the rest of your team on alert – we'll need them down here in a few days to help retrieve any alien technology. And Captain, UNIT will be taking control of anything that even remotely resembles a weapon."

Jack began to object. "Sorry, Captain, we've always had good working relations with you, but given what Torchwood One's messing about has caused, we're not going to let anyone from your organization have control over alien weapons".

Jack was fuming, but he could understand the Brigadier's position. "OK, we'll be ready for the helicopter pick up at 01400 hours."

Moving quickly, he scanned the Hub for his team. Suzie, Owen and Tosh were just returning from lunch through the tourist office entrance. They came in laughing and joking. Jack winced a little; this was not going to be easy to tell them.

He leaned over the railing outside his office. "Guys, I need you in my office now….its an emergency." The three stopped laughing and looked up at Jack. Owen sensed that something was really wrong. "What, Jack, are you OK?" He ran up the stairs at full speed, Susie and Tosh following close behind.

"Time is of the essence, so I'm going to be quick and direct. Torchwood One has been destroyed. I don't have many details but there are massive casualties and none of their facilities have survived intact. UNIT is sending a helicopter to take Owen and me to the site. There still may be survivors so they need every medic with security clearance on deck. I'll be coordinating with UNIT the retrieval of any surviving confidential files and technology. Owen, I need to you pack whatever medical supplies you think you'll need."

"Tosh, look through your files and see if there's anything in our archives that might be helpful and bring it up here. Yes, I know they're in total chaos, but just do your best."

"Owen, give Suzie your house keys so she can go and pack up some clothes for you." Owen grimaced to himself. "Great, just what I need, Suzie riffling through my stuff." Out loud, he smiled at Suzie, "just pack what you think I'll need; I can't even focus on it."

Suzie took Owen's keys and headed out of the Hub. "Guess I'll finally find out whether Owen is a boxer or briefs kind of guy…just kidding."

Within an hour Suzie had returned with duffel for Owen, Jack had a small flight bag packed and they had a small case of alien equipment to compliment Owen's medical kit.

"Suzie, I'll need you to take command here while I'm gone. Be prepared to come to London to help with the tech clean-up once the search and rescue is finished. That could be as early as tomorrow. And Tosh, monitor the comms, we may need to contact you on a moments notice."

Tosh had been monitoring reports from Canary Wharf while they were waiting. The casualties from the 'terrorist attack" already exceeded a thousand people. Visibly shaken she admonished Jack. "Please be careful, I want both of you back in one piece." Jack gave her a quick hug. "We'll be fine, you just be careful too. Don't take any unnecessary risks; work with the Cardiff police if needed; just retcon them afterwards."

Jack and Owen went to a nearby soccer field to wait for pickup by the UNIT helicopter. The flight to Canary Wharf was tense. There was not much said beyond an exchange of names and occupations. The other three passengers were a pathologist, and two soldiers on leave who said that they were called back as part of the clean-up operation.

Brigadier Hamilton met helicopter as it landed near Canary Wharf. Jack introduced Owen and wasn't surprised to hear Hamilton tell them that Owen might not have much to do.

"There have only been a handful of survivors; most have serious crush injuries and concussions, and they are all thoroughly traumatized. The last of them was transferred to hospital an hour ago."

Owen felt a little sick, he could deal with dead aliens, but he really hoped they wouldn't ask him to help out the pathologists. "How many?"

The Brigadier just shook his head. "Living – we've pulled 25 people out but 3 have already died after being air-lifted to hospital. There may still be people alive and trapped under the debris but given the severity of the injuries we're seeing and the difficulty of moving debris, we'll be lucky if we find any more survivors.

"And dead?" asked Jack.

"We've recovered about 1,300 bodies, not to mention numerous…uh, body parts." That doesn't include the five hundred or so fully or partially converted Cybermen who will, for the most part, be tallied as missing."

"Missing?" Owen questioned. Jack had explained to Owen about Cybermen and Daleks as they waited for their transport, but Owen didn't understand how converted people could be missing. Jack shook his head; he knew what was happening.

"Dr. Harper, I know this is going to be hard to understand but once a human is converted to a Cyberman, even if it's only a partial conversion, they could become active and endanger the planet. We have to euthanize them."

"What, like an overdose? So why aren't you giving the bodies back to the families?"

Jack sighed, looking at the Brigadier who nodded to him. "Owen, the danger is too great, there isn't time to use sedatives; they are being shot. Where the conversion was minimal they can fix them up for the families, but you can't expect them to return bodies that aren't even human anymore."

"You're executing them, in cold blood."

"Yes."

"That's inhumane Jack. How can you possibly sanction that?"

"Yes it is inhumane, but the takeover of the planet by Cybermen would be even worse."

They stopped when they realized they had reached the site of Torchwood One. As bad as Jack and Owen had imagined the destruction at Canary Wharf would be, nothing could have prepared them for what they saw. An area about the size of a square block had been flattened. Jack was reminded of the Blitz thinking that he hadn't seen anything this bad since then. There was literally not even a piece of a structure standing; everything had been destroyed. A few areas had small fires burning; firefighters were methodically extinguishing them.

The Brigadier interrupted their thoughts and explained that search and rescue dogs and their handlers were being organized to systematically sweep the area and he'd like Owen to accompany one of the teams. "And if any converted Cybermen are found, you'll radio it in and we'll have our clean-up crew take care of them."

"I just spent an hour riding in a helicopter with two executioners and a body snatcher, could this day get any better?" thought Owen.

Jack and Owen followed Brigadier Hamilton over to a large tented base area where operations were being coordinated. Owen was assigned to work with Sam Shuster, a soft-spoken middle aged man and his golden retriever Molly. Owen grabbed his medical kit while Sam put on a small backpack with food and water bottles for himself and the dog.

Owen and Sam talked a bit as they walked to the assigned area. Owen noticed Sam's accent was not from the London area. "Ay, I live in Yorkshire, just in town visiting my brother and his wife. Heard about the terrorist attack and thought we'd come down and see if we could help. UNIT was pretty reluctant but Molly's got lots of experience finding missing persons. Mind you, nothing like this of course, but she's found a number of missing children, even a group of girl guides that managed to get themselves lost within a 20 minute walk of their campsite.

"So what happens if we find something?"

"If we get lucky and find someone alive, we'll radio back to base so they can have an engineering team analyze how to extract the person. We don't want to go rushing around and trying to move things ourselves since the debris could shift and further injure the survivor or us. And we probably won't have to worry about bodies, because Molly's trained only to react to live scent. But if do find a casualty, we will mark the area for later excavation. Once our teams are done, they'll sweep the site with cadaver dogs."

They searched until there wasn't enough light to see but found nothing. Another team had managed to locate and extract another survivor. She was in critical condition but it gave everyone hope that maybe a few more people could be found in time.

Jack had had an equally unfruitful afternoon, trying to sort through file access and encryption codes with the Brigadier. Everyone was exhausted when the work was halted for the night.

Jack and Owen were offered accommodations at a nearby base which they gratefully accepted. They were simple, but certainly no worse than the Hub. Each had a small room with not much more than a bed, a tiny shower, and three hangers in an open closet. The rooms suited the men just fine. There were sandwiches and coffee in a mess hall nearby, neither of them ate very much.

The next morning they got up before dawn. Owen joined up with Sam and Molly again and they began their slow search of a new area.

*********

Ianto struggled to wake up. He couldn't see anything and he couldn't move at all. Every part of him hurt; he had dirt and debris in his eyes, nose and mouth, and for a moment he thought he must be dead. Then he realized he wasn't. "Fuck, I'm trapped." He had no idea that all of Torchwood One had been destroyed, how long he'd been trapped or whether anyone was looking for him.

He listened carefully and heard some voices in the distance. He tried to call out, but he wasn't able to make any sound above a whisper. He struggled as hard as he could to move and was rewarded with white hot pain coursing through his body. He gasped at the pain as darkness closed around him again.

He came to some time later. Ten minutes, ten hours, he couldn't tell. He heard some voices, soft, but close by. "Molly, what is it?"

Ianto heard a dog whining almost directly overhead. He tried to call out again, but this time he couldn't even whisper. "Think, dammit, this may be your only chance to get out." He tried to move but only his left hand wasn't trapped. Maybe he could wave it and get someone's attention but then realized he was fully underground and no one would see him. He began to panic a little, until an idea occurred to him. It was pretty crazy, but worth a try. He reached up with his left hand and began to scratch his fingernail on the concrete above him.

Molly whined again. Owen and Sam looked around the area trying to see what she was sensing. They used their torches to look into openings in the rubble but couldn't make out anything.

Owen thought he heard something that sounded like the dog scratching but it was coming a foot or so away from where Molly was standing. "Sam, I think I hear something - can you get Molly to be still?" Sam signaled the dog, and she sat down and was quiet. Owen pulled out his stethoscope and began placing it on debris listening carefully. He gradually worked his way over to where he thought he heard the scratching and continued listening.

"Sam, call it in, we've got a live one."

"Are you sure?"

"Listen for yourself."

Sam took the stethoscope and listened carefully. "Jesus, you're right." Sam backed away from Owen so he could relay the information to the base.

Owen listened again. Three short scratches, three longer scratches, three short scratches then a pause before the series repeated. Owen smiled as he thought, "S.O.S. You are one smart and lucky bastard whoever you are." He didn't know whether the survivor would be able to hear him but he yelled, "We hear you, we're going to get you out, keep tapping, just keep tapping."


	3. Mercy

After Owen headed out with his search and rescue team, Brigadier Hamilton asked Jack to accompany him to their temporary morgue. Set up in a nearby warehouse, row upon row of corpses covered the floor. Several soldiers were methodically walking down each row, taking pictures of each body and their accompanying tags before zipping them into a body bag.

"We're trying to identify as many as we can. If the body has ID, or is intact and the face reasonably undamaged, it shouldn't be that hard. The Unit Coroner has been able to determine the cause of death fairly easily in most cases. Mostly, severe trauma to the body, though we had about a dozen who died from fire, chemical burns or smoke inhalation where one of the labs exploded. We had several victims where the cause of death wasn't apparent – our pathologist has determined heart failure as the cause. Those we can't identify outright we'll do our best with dental records and DNA testing."

Jack didn't want to ask, but knew Hamilton was waiting to see if he would. "And Yvonne Hartmann?"

"One of the first to be killed and fully converted."

"And the converted bodies, what about those?"

The Brigadier shook his head and walked over toward the far end of the warehouse, motioning for Jack to follow. As they approached this area, Jack could see that it was cordoned off with large movable drywall-like partitions and plastic sheeting. Jack could hear the sound of power tools, as well as detect the smell of blood.

"Since we're telling the public it was a terrorist attack, we can't have hundreds of missing bodies. Some we really won't ever find, but it's better to be able to give the families something. It keeps them from getting suspicious, and they can have some closure. You don't have to go in if you don't want to."

Jack indicated that he would take a look. Brigadier Hamilton pulled back the plastic sheeting. Jack thought he had never seen anything quite so gruesome, even during war. People in biohazard suits were dissecting corpses that had been partially converted. Saws were being used to cut off converted parts and the floor was littered with metal covered arms and legs.

"It's exactly as you explained to Owen. If the conversion process hasn't been too extensive, we can remove the converted parts, pretty up what remains and ship them off to the families. Obviously, if the conversion was near completion, there's nothing to be done. We'll do DNA testing for our own records but they will be incinerated and recorded as missing. I'm going to owe some serious time off to the medics and support staff doing this work…cleaning up Torchwood's mess."

Jack winced at that statement. The Brigadier walked with Jack back outside the area.

"I'm sorry Jack, I know it's not your fault, but I've been in combat and this….

"I know. What a total disaster. I don't think Torchwood Three's going to be of much use to you with the clean-up, but we do have some facial recognition software that might help with ID-ing the bodies." Jack went on to explain that they had enhanced a commercial scanner with a few bits of technology that had come through the rift. It was far superior than anything available to UNIT.

"Actually, that would be a big help. We need to identify these bodies as fast as we can – we can't have a warehouse or cold storage facility stuffed with corpses for an indefinite period."

"Ok, I'll contact my resident tech genius, and have her contact your liaison. "

"That would be Ms. Toshiko Sato," the Brigadier stated, not asked. Jack grimaced as he realized that UNIT would, of course, know everything about Tosh. Jack confirmed that the Brigadier was correct and was surprised that he seemed to think that using her computer skills was a good idea.

As they left the warehouse and began to walk the short distance back toward the base area Hamilton explained that UNIT would also be contacting the dozen or so personnel who weren't physically at Torchwood One during the attack due to illness or time off. They would be offered positions with UNIT or a government agency; they could also take the retcon option and be set up in a new life.

Brigadier Hamilton told Jack that he would have one additional task for him to help with if necessary. "In one way, it's a blessing there are only a handful of survivors, Jack. We're going to have to watch them carefully. So far, two who were not badly injured have agreed to come to work with UNIT, we have about a dozen more that have said they want retcon, but we're giving them a little time to make sure that's what they want. I'm just not sure what to do with the rest. A lot of these folks have not only extensive physical injuries but not surprisingly, some pretty severe psychological trauma. Do we retcon them into menial jobs, lock them in secure psychiatric facilities, or what? My instinct as a UNIT Brigadier is to get them out of site, but after seeing what they've been through, I just don't know if that's even humane."

Jack told Hamilton that he thought his first thoughts were right – retcon or remove them from society. What other choices were there really?

The Brigadier said he wanted to consult with his medical staff as well as Dr. Harper and see if they had any alternative ideas.

"And Jack, if any of the survivors are from Wales, they are going to fall under your jurisdiction. I'll expect you to follow whatever guidelines we develop as a team. So far, there aren't any, they've all been living in England for many years, with the notable exception of one survivor who relocated a year ago from Scotland. Archie from Torchwood House has agreed to be responsible for him."

Jack nodded and sighed to himself. He had worked so hard to build bridges with UNIT. And while Brigadier Hamilton was being more than polite, Jack held no delusions that the Battle of Canary Wharf wasn't going to drastically impact the operation of Torchwood Three.

He was about to ask Brigadier Hamilton about the search for files and alien technology when he heard some shouting coming from the operations base area. They both ran over to see what was going on. As they arrived they saw a couple of people running out toward one of the search and rescue teams.

They listened to a dispatcher tell the team that some structural engineers were on their way over and to let them know if they needed additional medical support. Jack could hear Owen's voice over the comm. "You should probably have a stretcher with a backboard ready, but I won't know anything more until, I can get a better look."

The dispatcher looked at Jack. "Your Dr. Harper thinks he found a live one."

As much as Jack wanted to run over and see, he knew he'd just be in the way. He could tell Brigadier Hamilton was thinking the same thing. "Well," said Hamilton, 'we should probably see if there's anything around here to eat; it looks like we'll be here well into the evening hours."

****

As the structural engineers ran toward him, Owen continued to crouch on the ground and talk to the where the scraping noise was coming from. He had no idea if he could be heard but figured that talking might help the victim stay alive and calm.

The engineers borrowed Owen's stethoscope, listened a little, and walked around the immediate area looking at building plans. They thought the survivor was probably trapped in the archives, but couldn't tell exactly where. They discussed what was probably under the huge piece of concrete wall that was covering the top of the site.

"I'm concerned that if we start removing the top layer that debris lower down could shift and kill him. Perhaps we should wait for some back-up to take another look."

Owen just stared at them, suddenly realizing how tired and angry he felt. "If you don't get him out now, whoever is down there will die for sure either from shock or dehydration. They've been under there for what, 20 hours; given the injuries of other survivors, I don't think they could last another night. And I don't care if you'd feel better with a second opinion, get some equipment over here and at least try to get the poor sod out."

The two engineers looked at the plans again. They realized that they might just have gotten a lucky break on this rescue. The archives were underground and constructed to be bomb proof. That meant that the special reinforced concrete shouldn't have crumbled under the attack.

"Dr Harper, here's what we're thinking. We believe that your survivor is trapped in the secure archives. Given the strength of construction of that area, it's possible that the rest of the floors coming down didn't crush the ceilings of the archives completely. Our best shot is to have heavy equipment lift the above ground debris straight up off the area and see if we can access the lower levels."

Owen asked for a moment to think. "Hey, are you in the archives?" he shouted toward the survivor. Tap once for no, twice for yes." After a pause that seemed to last forever, two scratches were heard.

The engineers radioed what equipment would be needed before they headed back to base. Powerful lights, a crane and other equipment were promised within an hour. As the engineers returned to base to oversee the process, they suggested that Owen and Sam join them and get something to eat. Owen was hungry, but he knew that he was the only lifeline the survivor had. "Send something back for me, will you. I'm staying with my patient."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Molly and me, we're staying too."

Owen couldn't say how relieved he felt when Jack and the Brigadier came over with sandwiches and coffee. Owen ate one, but didn't think he could keep a second one down. Owen held up the sandwich for Sam to see. Sam nodded yes and Owen tossed the sandwich to Molly. It was gone in two bites. "At least someone still has an appetite."

Owen explained what he had heard to Jack and Brigadier Hamilton.

"Oi, I haven't spoken to my patient in a while, I better see if he's still with us." Handing the stethoscope to Jack he crouched down in his former position. "You still with us mate? Can you give us a little SOS tap?" Jack thought his heart might break when he heard the faint scratches – 3 short, 3 long, 3 short. Brigadier Hamilton listened as well.

The three men looked at each other and knew they were going to do everything to get the survivor out.

As the crane moved into position, the Brigadier told Owen and Sam that they would have to pull back to base while the debris was being lifted. They both protested loudly. Finally, with a little finesse from Jack and a lot of swearing by Owen, they agreed that once the crane had turned to deposit its load away from the area, they could go in and do a quick check to see if they could still hear scraping.


	4. Courage

_**Title from: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear - Ambrose Redmoon**__**  
**_  
Ianto lay completely in the dark. The initial elation of having been found was ebbing away as the hours passed. He was surprised that he wasn't more afraid. He reckoned that it was because at least now his body would be recovered. That was something, wasn't it? But he felt so tired. The effort to respond to the "London voice" was getting harder and harder.

Finally, the voice told him that they were going to begin to remove the above ground debris and to not be frightened by the noise. He could hear the sound of a motor, then some gears being shifted. 'Must be the crane,' he thought. After some time Ianto heard a loud boom and thought he would have jumped out of his skin, if he could have moved at all to do so. As it was, he shook uncontrollably.

"That was a large slab of concrete being removed from the top of the debris pile and it made a bit of noise when they put it down out of the way. They're going to be removing some smaller pieces next. Just hang in there."

The layers of destruction were slowly and carefully peeled away. It was now early afternoon and while the scraping continued, Owen was sure that the time gaps between his request and the S.O.S. response were getting longer. They were already past the critical 24 hour point. He knew that the survival rate for serious crush injuries decreased rapidly after 24 hours. Shock, hypothermia, organ failure all took their toll. A punctured lung, or a small amount of internal bleeding that could easily be dealt with initially, became a much more serious issue as time passed.

The crane came down to lift another huge piece of concrete. It strained under the weight and for a moment Owen was afraid that the crane might tip and drop the slab back down on the survivor. The crane finally lifted the concrete and slowly turned to remove it. Once the piece was out of the way, he and Sam came and looked once more. Molly, who had been silent through the whole process, began pulling on Sam and circling the area frantically. She barked twice and sat down. They both tried to look for any openings into the interior.

Owen's flashlight caught a reflection of something as he moved his torch methodically over the area. He backtracked and slowly moved the torch over its previous path. There it was. He inched forward to get a better look. A small opening leading to what? He shined the torch directly into the hole and saw only debris. Frustrated he backed up and realized that initially he was looking into the space from a completely different angle. Getting down on his stomach he angled the light through the hole to try to see more the interior.

"Hey, can you hear me?" The wait was interminable. "Hey can you hear me?" He heard what could be a faint scratch, but he wasn't sure. "OK, if you can see my torch light, scratch twice. Another wait. And then he heard it – two faint scratches. "Mate, scratch again, every few seconds while I try to find you." Owen focused on the sound as he swept the light slowly into the small hole. He almost missed it, but his light picked up the reflection again. He saw a small round gold circle suspended out of the ceiling. No, not the ceiling, but from an object stuck just below the top of the area.

He carefully moved his light up a bit. It took him a moment to recognize that it was a person. The gold circle was hanging from the person. Looking harder Owen could see that he (was it a he?) was lying on his back trapped between what looked like two more slabs of concrete. From their angles, it looked like the pieces had trapped his entire right side, leaving only his left arm and head with a little space to move. But the person wasn't moving at all at the moment. "I see you, just hang in there..don't give up." Owen saw the survivor's head shift slightly and the eyes open. He was alive, though he looked in a pretty grim state.

He shouted to Sam who radioed the base about their discovery. The engineers ran to the site and examined the situation. "We're going to have to use hand tools – concrete saws, maybe even chisels to get him out. If we try to lift that last piece of concrete directly off him, something's bound to shift. We'll radio for the firefighters; they have the tools and the most experience with this type of situation."

Owen, looked at the survivor again. 'He's just staring,' Owen thought. 'Don't tell me we got this far only to lose him.' Owen saw the person blink and let out a sigh of relief.

"We're going to cut the last pieces away with hand tools, OK? The noise will be close to you but we're getting you out. You're going to be fine." He turned to the engineers and saw they were preoccupied with organizing the firefighters who had been at the base.

He looked at the hole again. He was pretty sure he could get through there and crawl on his belly across another cement slab until he was directly next to the survivor. He knew he shouldn't but damn it he wasn't going to lose this guy now. As he began to creep toward the opening, Sam made eye contact with him. He knew what Owen was doing but did nothing to stop him or alert the others. 'You daft fool', he thought. 'But I'd do the same if I could fit through there.'

Owen squeezed his body through the hole, and crawled along the small space toward the survivor. Man, woman, Owen wasn't sure. As he got closer he could see the left hand pretty well. He thought it was a man based on hand size. He looked at the face, caked in dirt, dark black eyes just staring at him. His lowered his torch and illuminated the dangling round object. A pocket watch. He could see the man was wearing what has been a suit. He smiled to himself.

He looked directly at the trapped man. "Gramps, it's your lucky day."


	5. Saving the World

Title is from: He who destroys a life destroys the whole world; he who saves a life, saves the world entire. The Talmud

The recovery team was furious when they discovered that Owen had climbed into the collapsed building structure. Jack and the Brigadier came out and ordered him to exit the space. Owen refused. "I don't care if you retcon me or put me in front of a firing squad, I'm not leaving him. I found him and I'm going to see him out of here safely."

Jack pulled Hamilton away from the others. "I know you're going to think I'm crazy, but just let him stay down there. We can't afford to waste time and I think he really needs to do this…even if it costs him his life."

Brigadier Hamilton turned to the others. "All right, let's get the survivor out. Be careful for the medic, but your first priority is to get the survivor out safely."

Owen inched his way over to the trapped man. "I'm Dr. Owen Harper. And you are…" Owen coached. The man just stared at him. If he didn't blink, Owen would have thought he was dead. "Right, so you know you're at Torchwood One, what was, uh, is your job?" Owen knew he sounded like a lunatic but the man just continued to stare, expressionless.

Owen shined the torch in his eyes. He realized that the man's pupils were totally dilated and non-reactive. That couldn't be good. Shock or maybe he needed some daily medication, or maybe Yvonne managed to bring some Zombies along with the Daleks and Cybermen.

He lifted a water bottle to the man's mouth. "Can you drink a little, its just water?" No response. Owen poured a little water onto his fingertips and reached over to rub them over the man's lips. "Come on, just take a little water." Something instinctual made Owen go through the motions of opening his mouth and bringing the water bottle to his own lips. Something changed in the man's eyes. He opened his mouth but still stared straight at Owen. Owen smiled. "Ok, just a drop." He dribbled a few drops in his mouth. "Careful, don't want you choking on it." A few moments later, the man opened his mouth again. Owen chuckled, "Good, I think we've got an understanding now."

Owen could hear a whirring noise very close by. "Dr. Harper," a voice yelled, if you can hear me can you tap directly over where you are positioned? Good, can you tap directly over your survivor's head? The man reached up and scraped the ceiling. Owen tapped in the same place for good measure.

"We're directly over the two of you. Can you tap overhead somewhere you are not under but within a foot of both of you?" Owen reached beyond both of their heads and tapped. "Cover your faces as best you can, this next cut will be through to you and will kick up some dust. Owen covered his face with one hand and the man's face with his other.

The loud whine from a tool was emanating from just above beyond their heads. A hole about 5 inches in diameter dropped out of the concrete ceiling. Concrete dust was floating in the small space temporarily blinding him. He could make out part of a face looking in at him. He could have reached out and touched the firefighter looking in.

It took another two hours to free the survivor from the concrete. Once they cut a hole big enough, they pulled Owen out so that a firefighter could slip into the space and assess how best to free the man's right side. Using small drills, and yes a chisel the firefighter slowly chipped away pieces of concrete from around the trapped man. Finally, the firefighter was able to slide the man sideways from under the concrete that had held him. As carefully as he could he slid him over to the open section. Four sets of hands lifted the man out and set him on a backboard. The firefighters secured his head and limbs, lifted him and ran to the waiting helicopter.

Owen wanted to go with them, but Jack wouldn't let him. "Owen, you did your job, let the EMTs do theirs. We'll check on him later, I promise."

Owen looked around and realized that it was the starting to get dark. Must be around 2100 hours, he thought. Two survivors found in two days. That brought the number up to 27. As bad it felt to realize how many had died, Owen couldn't help but smile when he thought about his survivor, his patient. He said goodbye to Sam and Molly as they all made their way back to the tent. Sam praised Owen for his bravery, calling him heroic.

"If anyone's a hero, it's Molly. I hope she's going to get a special treat for her hard work."

Sam laughed, "I think there could be a hot dog in Molly's future. This has been quite an experience, the last few days, not what I was planning when I came down to see my family, but time well spent nonetheless." The men shook hands for the last time and went their separate ways.

Jack and Owen drove back with Brigadier Hamilton to the nearby base. "We've decided that the chances of finding any more survivors are slim to none. So officially, the search for the living ends tonight."

Hamilton continued, "Dr. Harper, you are an insubordinate bastard, but you have my congratulations – you did a heroic job today. You're free to return to Cardiff tomorrow. Unfortunately, you'll have to find your own transportation back. You may just want to rent a car; Ms. Costello will be driving back here to assist with artifact recovery once you're back at Torchwood Three. Your colleague Ms. Sato is doing an exceptional job with her face recognition software. We've go about half of the non-converted casualties identified already. "

"But what about Gramps?" Owen snapped. Jack and the Brigadier both gave Owen a puzzled look. "You know, the survivor… I want to be able to see how he's doing."

"I'm going to brief both you and Captain Harkness on his condition tomorrow before you leave. And assuming he pulls through, I've arranged for the hospital to send you daily updates. But we really do need you back in Cardiff. Your Captain let me know that you are very talented with lab work and can process DNA samples much faster than our lab. I'm not going to ask how, but your assistance would be much appreciated."

Owen told him he'd be glad to help. Jack smiled to himself. The Brigadier certainly knew how to handle Owen. He wondered how if he could charm a belligerent weevil as well.

"We'll meet at 0700 hours in the mess for that briefing."

Jack and Owen headed over to the mess hall looking for some vending machines.

"My favorites," smirked Jack. "Peanut butter on crackers and undrinkable coffee."

Owen stared at his coffee and crisps. "A stiff scotch, no let me revise that, several stiff scotches was what I was hoping for."

"You know, you really were a hero today, Owen. The firefighters were so angry when you climbed down in there, but I think you did exactly the right thing."

"Yeah, well thanks. Hell, I'm really tired Jack, I'm going to turn in if that's OK."

"I'll see you in the morning."

Owen went to his room, showered, put on sweat pants and a T-shirt. He was exhausted but didn't think he'd sleep. He lay down on the small bed and looked at the ceiling. He thought about the randomness of fate. His fiancé gets parasitic aliens in her brain. That old guy from archives, his silly suit, pocket watch and fob; he should be home with his wife and kids, maybe even grandkids. Owen hadn't cried since he lost Katie, but thinking about all the people lost at Torchwood One, not Yvonne Hartmann and her lackeys, but the other employees, the accountants, and lab technicians, the food service personnel, hell the girl who sorted the mail, all of them gone, he couldn't help but cry at the loss, the waste.

He prayed that the old guy from the archives would live. Maybe if he did, the years of misery and self-destruction could end. He'd have paid his debt for letting Katie die and he could move on with his life.

Jack left the mess hall not long after Owen. He also showered and got into bed. He had never felt so proud of Owen. He knew there was great potential, maybe even genius that could flourish if Owen could just forgive himself. 'Who knows,' thought Jack, 'this could be a new start for him. But if that guy from the archives dies, I don't want to think about what will happen. I'll have to be prepared either way.'

He smiled a little at that, 'I'm always telling my team that the 21st Century is when it happens and they've got to be ready. Maybe I should start teaching them that facing life everyday can be harder than an alien invasion, and you've really got to be ready for that as well.'


	6. Time & Opportunity

**Thank you for the comments. Please continue to let me know what you think.**

Ianto felt himself being lifted up out of the debris. The light burned his eyes as he tried to focus on his surroundings. He sensed blurry movement around him, but nothing he could see clearly. He closed his eyes, but the light still seared through his lids. Every part of him hurt, but the pain in his right hand was excruciating. Even the slightest movement sent waves of scorching heat coursing through his hand. He struggled to sit up, but pain exploded through his body and he felt a buzz rising up from his feet. Then darkness.

"Don't let him move. Get him secured to that backboard. Immobilize the head, then the right arm and leg. Quick but careful, he's running out of time." The paramedics worked efficiently securing him safely in place. It was probably a blessing, thought one, that he's not conscious. He's got to feel like he's been to hell and back.

*****

The emergency personnel at the hospital rapidly assessed his condition. His heart, liver and bowel were undamaged. One lung was punctured, his skull was fractured, his right leg was broken and the right hand – well that might not even be salvageable. All agreed that the life threatening injuries had to be addressed first.

Within an hour he was taken in for emergency surgery to insert a chest tube to remove air from thoracic cavity, check for other internal injuries and determine the extent of the cranial damage. In a way Ianto was lucky. The damage to his skull was a simple lateral fracture which could be secured with pins and screws. There was only minor swelling of the brain. The surgeons however, concerned that once the skull was closed pressure could build up, decided to put him in a medically induced coma. The simple fracture to his tibia was set and his hand was stabilized. As bad as the hand had been damaged, it wasn't immediately life threatening and would have to be addressed at a later time. Seven hours later, Ianto was brought out of surgery alive.

*****

His wallet was still miraculously on him when he was rescued so ID-ing him had been easy. Accessing his personnel file, Brigadier Hamilton asked his attaché to work on locating his emergency contacts even though it was already past 22:00 hours. First on the list was a Lisa Hallett, in London listed as a 'friend.' The attaché located her easily enough, but she made it clear that the information was outdated and while she was very sorry to hear about Ianto, she didn't want to get involved. Next on the list was his mother who lived in Cardiff. Her phone number was no longer in service. The final name on the list was his sister, Rhiannon Davies. She was concerned, but explained that with two small children, and an invalid mother to care for, she couldn't just drop everything for a brother she hadn't spoken to in several years. But she said she try to make some arrangements and get to London to see him if she could.

The attaché sighed. The Brigadier passed by her office and saw the look on her face. "Saundra, what's wrong."

"You're not going to believe this. You know the Jones kid you asked me call about, well he's got no one. I called his girlfriend; turns out she's an ex-girlfriend and made it clear that she couldn't be arsed about his situation. I couldn't reach his Mum, but the reason I couldn't is because she had a stroke last year and is living with her daughter in Cardiff. And Ianto's sister, I don't know what to say. She seemed upset, but not upset enough to make much more than a token promise to come to see him. He's 23 years old. If he lives, he's going to need a lot of support and he's got no one. Not one living soul gives a damn whether he lives or dies."

"You mentioned Cardiff, is he from there?"

"Born and raised there. Came to London to attend University."

The Brigadier smiled. "Saundra, I appreciate your help and try not to be too upset. He's going to have lots of support. I have the perfect family for him there." Saundra looked at him like he lost his mind.

"The medic who found him is from Torchwood Three. He's very concerned about Mr. Jones' welfare. Got a bit of a hero complex. I think Mr. Jones just found himself a new big brother. And Captain Harkness already knows that any survivors from Wales are under his jurisdiction, so assuming Mr. Jones survives, I think he'll be just fine."

Saundra rolled her eyes. Hamilton nodded. "I know. They are a bunch of rogues aren't they, but I honestly believe that Dr. Harper will be a great support to him. And who knows, Jones may just be what the doctor ordered." He chuckled a bit to himself as he thought about tomorrow's meeting.

"Forward his file to my computer, I'm meeting the Captain Harkness and Dr. Harper first thing tomorrow and I want to have a better understanding of Mr. Jones' background.

*****

The next morning Owen and Jack were waiting in the mess hall before 7:00 AM. The atmosphere was grim. Listening to conversations around them, it was obvious that these were the men and women who were going to the site to look not for the living but for casualties.

The Brigadier arrived; laptop and folders tucked under his arm and joined them at a table in a quiet corner. He told them that they had identified the survivor as Ianto Jones and did a brief review of his medical condition. "I have downloaded his detailed records to Torchwood Three, and alerted the staff at the hospital that you have UNIT's approval to access any of his records." Owen nodded his thanks.

"I have to ask you Dr. Harper about something you said yesterday that I'm still puzzling over….why did you refer to Mr. Jones as 'Gramps?' "

Owen's face stretched into a thin smile. "You know, the suit, the pocket watch. I didn't get a good look at him, but I'm guessing he must be one of those employees you'd like to have retire, but they just hang on forever. I didn't mean it disrespectfully."

"Of course not. But I have to tell you for a doctor, you need to work on improving your patient assessment skills." Jack could feel Owen bristling but caught the twinkle in the Brigadier's eye.

"Owen, don't go getting all defensive, let's hear Brigadier Hamilton out." Owen took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst. Had he missed something crucial about Mr. Jones' injuries, or endangered him by climbing into the wreckage?

As Brigadier Hamilton turned the laptop toward the men he announced, "Gentlemen, I give you the illustrious Ianto Jones." Jack burst out laughing.

"Bollocks!" Owen was furious. "That's really not funny Brigadier."

"Actually it is."

"Come on, you show me picture of a high school kid, and think I'm going to find that amusing?"

Jack interrupted. "Lloyd, I know you're not one to joke at a time like this. What's going on?"

"This really is Mr. Jones. He's 23 years old, recruited by Torchwood straight from college only six months ago." Brigadier Hamilton leafed through the file. "I've downloaded his whole file to you so you can read it at your leisure. But here's some highlights: born in Cardiff, grew up in a housing estate, thought to be bright but not terribly motivated, a shoplifting incident at age 15, attended London University on scholarship. He took the Torchwood screening tests on a dare from a classmate. Scored exceptionally high on the deductive reasoning tests, off the chart on the memory tests, and above average on empathic ability. Girlfriend in college, the relationship ended shortly after he joined Torchwood.

He was promoted from junior archivist to artifact analyst within three months of starting at Torchwood. His supervisors raved about the quality of his work, and more than one refers to him as a 'nice, polite, young man.' The suits and pocket watch seem to be a bit of an eccentricity on his part."

"You think," smirked Jack. Owen looked at the Brigadier as they both bit back a smile. After all, Jack had his own eccentricity concerning a coat from a certain era.

"Otherwise, he seems to be a quiet, harmless individual, toiling away in the archives for queen and country and all that nonsense. Oh, and I guess I should mention that his only family are a mother who is incapacitated by a stroke and a sister, who seems a bit indifferent."

Owen listened to Ianto's narrative as his gut tightened. He insisted that he wasn't going to return to Cardiff, not when there was no one to look out for Ianto Jones. Jack really didn't want a scene in the front of the Brigadier. Fortunately, the Brigadier proposed a reasonable compromise. Owen would return to Cardiff and he'd assign a UNIT physician to oversee treatment at the hospital. Assuming Jones came out of coma; Owen could come back to London at that point and oversee the plans for the next part of Ianto's rehabilitation. Jack and Owen both agreed that this was a logical way to proceed.

"And when you think about what's down the road if things go well, it makes transitioning his care later on much easier. Don't forget, once he's stable, he'll be transferred to Cardiff to continue his recovery and rehabilitation under Torchwood Three's supervision."

Jack and Owen looked at each other and realized that they would be involved with Ianto Jones' recovery not just for the next few months, but perhaps for the rest of his life.


	7. Silence

**Thank you for the comments. Please continue to let me know what you think. This is actually Chapter 7 - But FF is having some sort of difficulty at the moment.**

Three weeks later Ianto came out of his coma. His lung had re-inflated on its own and the swelling associated with his skull fracture had dissipated. His right leg was healing well and his surgeon was confident that he would walk normally after some physical therapy. His hand which had been cleaned, debrided and stabilized was not showing signs of infection but would require several surgeries to restore even partial mobility. While he was in coma, there hadn't been any way to assess any lasting brain damage, but now it was important to know exactly how severe the damage was. His doctors decided to wait another three weeks and see if they could wean him off some of the pain medication he was on so that it wouldn't interfere with the testing.

On a beautiful August morning, Owen drove over from Cardiff to observe the testing. All things considered, Owen thought afterwards, it could have been worse. Ianto was visibly nervous, and the psychiatric social worker evaluating him had all the charm of a weevil. He sat outside the test area behind one way glass with the UNIT physician, Dr. Martha Jones. She had taken extra care in overseeing Ianto's case and Owen told her how grateful he was.

"Dr Harper, I have to tell you that your young patient is quite a favorite around here. He's having problems with his verbal skills, you'll see that in a moment, but he still is able to communicate pretty well in his own way. And, he has a wicked sense of humor."

Owen didn't really understand what Dr. Jones was referring to, but he reckoned he see soon enough.

They turned their attention back to the test area as the social worker sat across a small table from Ianto, explaining that she was going to ask questions and he should answer as best he could. Ianto sat in his wheelchair and listened. He really didn't want to be doing this. He was in a lot of pain due to reduction in his medication prior to these tests and the humiliation of having to be bathed, dressed, helped into the chair and wheeled to the session was almost unbearable.

"What's your name?" Ianto stared at her.

"Let's try that again…. what's your name?" There was a dry marker on the table and Ianto motioned to her to give it to him.

"I will be evaluating your written abilities later. Now again, what is your name?" Ianto tried to grab the marker away from the evaluator. "You're not getting this, so stop reaching for it," she snapped.

Frustrated Ianto slammed his left fist on the table and pointed to the marker. The social worker pushed back from the table. "We're done here, you are obviously too emotionally upset to be tested."

Ianto wasn't paying any attention to her. As she stormed out of the room he grabbed the marker in his left hand, pulled the cap off with his teeth and scrawled on the Formica table top:

**_I M IANTO F KIN JONES_**

The two doctors laughed as they read the upside down message. "Looks like he understands well enough."

The evaluator confronted the two doctors as they left the observation room. "I'm a busy person. It's unconscionable that you would even bother to have me come in to test someone who should be put in a psych ward…permanently as far as I'm concerned."

Owen winced at that. The door to the test room was open and he knew that Ianto could hear every word. Owen and Martha pushed past the social worker to see how Ianto was coping.

Entering the room, they saw that Ianto had added something to his writing:

**_Is it somethin I said ?_**

Ianto grinned as both doctors laughed. Martha tried to put on a serious face but starting laughing again. "Ianto, you are a bad, bad boy," she teased.

Ianto pointed at himself and raised one eyebrow. "Yes you. What ever are we going to do with you," Martha quipped. Ianto pointed to his cheek. "Ok, I can't resist." She gave him a tiny peck on the cheek.

Owen could see what Martha liked about him. Even after all he'd been through and all he had left to deal with, not to mention the pain he must be in, he hadn't let it defeat him.

"Yeah, Ianto, what are we going to do with you," Owen repeated. Ianto pointed to his cheek again and winked at Owen. "Oi, what kind of guy do you think I am?" Ianto gave him an exaggerated pout. "Ok, a hug, you can have hug, but don't be trying anything funny." Still laughing, he walked over to Ianto, gave him a hug and patted him on the back.

Turning to Martha and Ianto, Owen remarked, "Seriously mate, I think we need to see if we can't figure out why you're not able to talk."

Ianto nodded in agreement.


	8. Guilt & Regret

Owen, Ianto and Martha sat in the hospital cafeteria. Ianto looked at Martha, his eyes pleading.

"I know you want some pain medication, but I'd like you to eat something first so you don't end up sick."

Ianto closed his eyes for a moment, trying to get control over the pain he felt pulsing through his right hand. 'OK, just suck it up, eat this swill and then get the drugs,' he reasoned. He took a bite of his sandwich, making a face. He couldn't believe that Owen had got him tuna; he hated, hated tuna.

Owen laughed, "Oi, I see that look on your face; I can't believe that you're not enjoying this fancy lunch I bought you."

Ianto made a writing motion toward Martha. "Oh sorry, I forgot I had your stuff." She handed a pad of paper and pen to Ianto.

**_I HATE TUNA !_**

Ianto showed what he wrote to Owen.

"You want mine then, its ham." Ianto nodded. Owen traded sandwiches with Ianto.

Martha sighed, "Ianto, I'm sorry about the session, I told her you couldn't speak. I don't know why she felt she had to see for herself."

"Speaking of which, no pun intended," interrupted Owen, "can you explain why Ianto can't talk?"

Martha explained that they had done some MRI's specifically on the area of the brain next to the skull fracture but couldn't detect any damage. The more general brain scans hadn't detected anything abnormal either.

"Ianto, is it OK, if I speak for you? I know all the writing is hard." Ianto didn't look happy, but nodded yes. "Ianto says he can think how to speak, but he can't get the words to form. And yes, we already checked his larynx and vocal chords, they're all undamaged. Our best guess is that some neural pathway in the brain has been damaged but we just can't find it. It's probably a very small bit of damage; we just have to hope that over time it regenerates."

Ianto began to write something on his paper and showed it to Owen:

**_Can YOU buy a cell phone for me ? Lost mine. I HAVE money._**

Owen didn't understand why Ianto wanted a cell phone, he couldn't speak after all. "Well sure, but…"

**_Can I borrow yours to show you ?_**

Owen took his Blackberry out of his pocket. Ianto put it on the table, hit a few keys and began to type rapidly with his good hand. When he finished, he handed it over to Owen. Owen read the text, smiled and handed it to Martha.

'_I can text message. A lot faster than I can write with my left hand. Oh and as a bonus, you can actually read it! So people won't think I'm retarded in addition to being a gimp. I really want to be able to communicate directly with people. I want to speak for myself.'_

Martha smiled, "That makes sense, but, come on Ianto, no one thinks you are stupid."

Ianto grabbed the cell phone away from her_._

'_Yeah, so remember when we came down here the other day and that doctor came over to talk to you. And then he looked at me and v..e..r..y s…l..o..w…l…y asked how I was feeling? Like I was an idiot!'_

"You're right, Ianto, I'm sorry….I was just trying to help."

'_I know, but it doesn't. I'm going to have to learn to do things for myself especially if my speech doesn't return and I can't use my right hand.'_

"That brings me to some other things I need to discuss with you and Martha, so Ianto hang onto the cell phone in case you have anything you want to say."

Owen explained to Ianto that his time in the hospital was coming to an end.

In 3 to 4 weeks, he would be moving over to a UNIT medical facility for his upcoming hand surgeries. Even Martha seemed surprised by this.

"I spoke to Brigadier Hamilton and he agrees that it would best." Lowering his voice Owen explained that they had some alien technology at Torchwood Three that might be able to accelerate the healing of his hand between surgeries but it would be impossible to use at the hospital without arousing suspicions. And UNIT had excellent rehabilitation facilities, far superior to the hospital's. Ianto typed his agreement with the plan.

"And of course the lovely Dr. Jones will be there to oversee your progress. I have a couple of housekeeping things to discuss with you but let's go back to your room first."

They returned to the room, and Martha gave Ianto his pain medication as he got back into bed. They discussed getting a cell phone for Ianto. Ianto liked Owen's Blackberry so Owen agreed to get him one with unlimited texting of course. Owen explained that Torchwood Three would be picking up the cost. When Ianto began to object, Owen told him not to worry about it or any other costs while he was getting well. "That's on Torchwoods tab, by order of Her Majesty."

'_Think she'd buy me a Maserati?'_

"No, but she's covering your rent and utilities until we get this all sorted out."

Owen was a little nervous about the next item on his list. "You know you are going back to Cardiff eventually, to finish your rehab right? Good, so I checked and the lease on your flat is due for renewal in a few months. I'd like to put your furniture and anything else you don't need right now in storage in Cardiff. We can go over to your flat, maybe next week and figure out what needs to be packed up, OK? Maybe we can get some of your friends to help."

Ianto looked a bit upset.

'_I guess that's OK. __I've been meaning to ask, has anyone called about me? I haven't heard from my best friend. His name is Charlie Mackenzie. Or my mum or my sister.'_

Martha glanced over Ianto's head at Owen. Ianto could see from Owen's tight lipped expression that he was in for some bad news.

Martha cleared her throat and took over the conversation. "Ianto, we did speak to your sister. She said she wanted to come but she's got two little ones at home. And did you know your mother was living with your sister's family?"

Ianto shook his head. "Right, your mum had a stroke about six months ago, she can't take care of herself so your sister has taken her in."

Ianto hadn't cried at all since he was rescued from Canary Wharf. He didn't think he had the right to. After all, he had survived when so many hadn't. So he blinked back his tears and typed,

'_And Charlie?'_

Martha thought her heart would break. The Brigadier's office had done a very thorough investigation on Ianto to make sure they had all the relevant information on him. That included his personal life. So she was keenly aware of what had happened with Lisa as well as Ianto's life since then. She spent an evening with the Brigadier and his attaché reviewing CCTV tapes of Ianto and Charlie going to clubs, Ianto and Charlie leaving the clubs with a variety of young women all of them laughing and having a good time, and the occasional tape of Ianto and Charlie stumbling out of a club drunk and alone. They were so alike in appearance, tall, dark hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, that they could have easily been mistaken for brothers. More tapes of Ianto and Charlie playing chess in a park, playing rugby with friends, they were practically inseparable.

"Ianto, I'm so sorry, Charlie was killed in the attack." Ianto couldn't understand what Martha was telling him, after all, Charlie didn't work for Torchwood.

"You must not remember but Charlie had the day off from work and you were going to meet him for an early lunch. He came down to the wharf and was waiting in the lobby for you when the Cybermen attacked. He got out of the building but didn't leave the area. He was standing in the plaza just outside the building when one of the walls gave way. He was killed instantly. I'm sorry Ianto, really I am."

'_He was waiting for me, wasn't he?'_

Martha sighed_._ "It would look that way. But it's not your fault, Ianto, you can't blame yourself for this."

Ianto typed angrily on the cell phone practically throwing it at Martha.

"Hey," Owen yelled at him, "you're not a baby, stop throwing things." Ianto burst into tears.

Martha handed the cell phone to Owen and moved to sit on the bed next to Ianto. She put her arms around him and held him while he cried.

'_Right, I'm not to blame for anything,' _Ianto had typed_. 'My best friend died because of me, I took some pills so I couldn't help him; I hadn't called mum in almost a year so I didn't even know she had a stroke, and I left Rhiannon and Cardiff and never looked back.'_

If he could have make any sounds Ianto probably would have been sobbing or screaming, but as it was tears just ran down his face, the only sound being an occasional gasp for breath. Eventually, Ianto shuddered, took in a couple deep breaths and calmed a bit. Owen reached over and turned Ianto's face toward him. He could see that Ianto's pupils were dilated a bit; the pain medication was kicking in.

"Ianto, I want you to listen to me very carefully. You did not kill Charlie. We know about the pills. They showed up in your pre-surgical toxicology screening. Now maybe I'm wrong, but I'm betting you took those not to kill yourself but to keep yourself from panicking. You were trapped in the archives and there was nothing you could do…even if you hadn't taken them. As for your family, Ok, you should have called your mum, but you're not the first kid to leave home for a better life and forget about those he left behind. When you're on your feet again, we'll go for a few beers and I'll tell you about a doctor I know who did the very same thing. And then will go sort things out with your mum and sister, OK?"

Ianto nodded. He felt so helpless. He leaned back on a pillow stared off into space. 'When is this ever going to end? All this crap, the surgeries and rehab, the pain throbbing always throbbing in my hand. Am I ever going to be able to speak or work or even have a shag again? Or dress myself, or drive a car…. All I want is normal life, why does shit keep happening to me?' Finally, he felt the pain medicine begin to kick in. He sighed and let his eyes drift closed.

Martha and Owen stayed another half hour with Ianto making sure he was settled and asleep. They let the nursing staff know that Ianto had been told about some friends he had lost at Canary Wharf and that he might have a rough night.


	9. Secrecy Adult Version

_**Warning - this is a chapter of an adult nature, including M/M sex of a dub-con nature. **__**Do not read if this will upset you**__**. A less explicit edited version (Chapter 10) has been posted for those wishing to follow the story but without the details of the dub-con incident. Please choose the version that is appropriate for your age and comfort level.**_

_**Where secrecy or mystery begins, vice or roguery is not far off - Samuel Johnson. **_

As they left Ianto's room, Martha told Owen she had one other issue she needed to discuss with him. She confirmed that the Brigadier had downloaded the CCTV tapes of Charlie and Ianto to Owen some time ago.

"Did you destroy them after viewing as instructed?" Owen indicated he had.

"And no one else saw them?" Owen nodded yes. What was going on, there really wasn't anything all that embarrassing on them. Ok, except maybe that one tape of Ianto puking on his shoes outside a club after a night of too much drinking.

"Good. Can I ask you what the reaction of your teammates has been to your involvement with Ianto?"

Owen shrugged. "Nothing alarming. I did tell Tosh that Ianto played chess; she can't wait to challenge him to a match. Suzie, well she's gone, and Gwen just joined so she doesn't know much about it. But she's very sympathetic in nature, so if anything she'll try to smother him."

"And what about the Captain."

"Yeah, I was wondering when you'd be getting to that. Please don't be angry at him…he doesn't want anything to do with Ianto or anyone from Torchwood One. Don't worry about Ianto's care; Jack understands his obligations and he's given me free reign to do what I think is best regardless of cost. He even wants me to look into purchasing a flat for Ianto so we can kit it up to help Ianto to cope his disabilities. But if you're thinking that Jack should give him a job or something, that's not going to happen. He doesn't want Ianto anywhere near the Hub."

Martha nodded. "No that's good. I'm relieved. I have something to show you. There are two more CCTV tapes that the Brigadier didn't show you. One we've had for a while and the Brigadier didn't know how you'd feel about it. The second one we just found and there could be some serious repercussions because of it."

She motioned him over to a small visitor sitting area that was empty. She pulled a small video player from her tote bag, turned it on and put it on Owen's lap. The first scene was Ianto coming out of club with a blond young man. Not Charlie. The man put his arm around Ianto's waist and Ianto turned and gave him a kiss. The man smiled and kissed him back. Then they walked out of the range of the camera.

"Oi, another tall leggy blond. At least he's consistent. Well I see why you might not want to share that with me. But no, it doesn't bother me, unless of course he takes a fancy to me. But, I have to ask, the Brigadier was concerned about how _**I**_ might react to it?"

Martha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, funny thing that. He didn't seem to be bothered, more perplexed than anything. He said something along the lines of 'these young kids today have a much more fluid idea of sexuality than we ever did.'"

They both laughed imagining how things had changed at UNIT in the time since the Brigadier had been a young soldier.

Martha sobered a bit. "The next one is the one we're concerned about."

She queued up the next scene; it was Ianto in a passionate embrace with a different man. The man had Ianto pushed against a wall and was kissing his neck and grinding his body against him. Ianto's face was tipped back, he looked ecstatic. Ianto grabbed the man by his coat collar and pushed him around to the wall. The man pushed Ianto down on his knees. His eyes were looking down at Ianto and he had a lazy smile on his face.

"I don't believe it. That's Captain Jack bloody Harkness. Fuck!"

Martha laughed as she switched off the player. "Well no they didn't, actually."

"Wait! How could they have met? When and where was this tape made?"

"London, in April."

Owen nodded. "Jack had been called up to Torchwood One for another smack down by Yvonne Hartmann. He was in a foul mood for days after he got back."

"Interesting, that might explain a few things. Not excuse them, mind you, but…as distasteful as you may find it, we think it's important for you to see the whole tape."

She turned the player back on and Owen could see Jack unzipping himself and taking his cock out of pants. Ianto's back was the camera but he was obviously taking Jack into his mouth. Jack had his hands cupped behind Ianto's head and was slowly thrusting into his mouth.

"Martha, I have to tell you that Ianto giving Jack a blow job is not something that I'm really interested in watching. I'm going to have nightmares for weeks from this."

"Just keep watching."

Just as Owen was going to ask Martha again if they could skip over this part, something happened to Jack. It was almost imperceptible. He looked down at Ianto as if seeing him for the first time. His face scowled, he grabbed Ianto's hair in his fists, bent his head back and began to thrust angrily into Ianto. Ianto was trying to push back but Jack pulled him forward by his hair, never slowing the pounding rhythm of his cock into Ianto's mouth. Ianto was clearly struggling now, but Jack took no notice of it.

"Christ," Owen whispered.

The pounding continued until finally Jack's thrusts stuttered and then with three hard thrusts he came in Ianto's throat. Ianto looked like he was choking, but Jack held him in place as the last of his orgasm pulsed out of him. He released his hold on Ianto's hair, pulled out of his mouth, and began to tuck himself back into his pants. With no one to balance on, Ianto fell forward onto his elbows, coughing and gasping for breath.

Jack finally seemed to notice Ianto and pulled him roughly to his feet. Ianto looked dazed. As he leaned over to balance his arms on Jack's shoulders Jack pushed him away slamming him against the wall. Ianto's head hit the bricks hard. Jack took something out of his pocket and slapped it into Ianto's hand, then turned and walked out of view of the camera.

"Oh hell, he thinks Ianto's a rent boy!" Martha motioned Owen to be quiet and watch. Ianto looked at the bills and began to shout, presumably at Jack. Ianto's face was contorted with rage and suddenly he flung the money away from him just as Jack came back into view. Jack grabbed Ianto by the throat and held him against the wall. He face was about an inch from Ianto's and he silently glared at him. Ianto struggled, sneered while saying something to Jack. Jack released Ianto and struck his face backhanded with such force that Ianto was knocked to the ground. Jack reached down, yanked Ianto back to his feet and grabbed him by the throat again. This time as he pushed him against the wall he was speaking to him. Ianto understandably looked terrified. He nodded a few times at Jack. Jack let him go, turned to leave, then turned back, grabbed Ianto's head between his hands and pressed a long hard kiss onto Ianto's mouth.

Jack clearly was smirking when he turned and walked away. Ianto's back slid down the wall and he sat on the ground shaking and crying. Finally, he pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

"Charlie," Owen stated. Martha nodded. The tape was obviously edited at this point and the next part showed Charlie walking toward Ianto and crouching down in front of him. Charlie helped him to his feet and guided him away from the building and out of the camera's range. He was clearly perplexed by Ianto's predicament.

Owen ran his fingers through his hair. "Well that certainly complicates things a bit."

Martha sighed. "Yes it does. The fact that Jack doesn't want to be involved with Ianto is all to the better. I'm not saying that what we saw initially wasn't consensual, clearly it was. And since there is no audio, we can only surmise what happened after that. I agree that Jack probably did think that Ianto was for hire. But regardless, Jack was clearly over the line. And that worries me. I can't even imagine what might happen if one or both of them recognizes each other. He could do anything from attempting to prevent you from continuing your care of Ianto, to using Ianto's embarrassment about the incident to manipulate him for his own gain. And Ianto is and will be too emotionally fragile to deal with someone like Jack."

"You're right. I was concerned about Jack trying to hit on Ianto and intended to have a talk with him about Jack before we went to Cardiff. And I'm still going to. Regardless of whether Jack or Ianto recognize each other, Ianto definitely fits Jack's profile for men: tall, young, handsome, and willing. Martha, what the hell did the Brigadier say about this?"

"He was furious. At Jack. I believe the words he used were 'fucking bastard, if I didn't need him right now at Torchwood Three, I'd have him brought into UNIT for interrogation.'"

Owen winced. "And about Ianto."

"He was surprisingly nonjudgmental. Made a comment about young men having to be careful of older predators. He genuinely felt sorry for Ianto. So you don't have to worry about the Brigadier's reaction having any downside for Ianto. But, Jack is another story. He ordered me to tell you that if Jack so much as touches Ianto without his consent, that he will personally come to Cardiff and deal with it."

"Does it get any better...?" Owen started to say.

"Yes, it does. He also told me to inform you that you are under orders to report any such incident to him. If you don't, he said he will hold you personally responsible."

'Great, that just great. They are both grown men, how the hell am I going to prevent them from doing what they want if what they want to be doing is each other?"

"Do the best you can, keep their interactions to a minimum and if you need help, don't hesitate to call. I'm the one who convinced the Brigadier not to haul Jack in for a dressing down, so I'm on the line here too. We're counting on you." Martha gave Owen a kiss on the cheek, stood up and walked away.

Owen remained sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his head between his hands. He wondered what crimes he must have committed in a past life to deserve such a bitch of a payback.


	10. Secrecy Teen Version

_**Where secrecy or mystery begins, vice or roguery is not far off - Samuel Johnson. **_

As they left Ianto's room, Martha told Owen she had one other issue she needed to discuss with him. She confirmed that the Brigadier had downloaded the CCTV tapes of Charlie and Ianto to Owen some time ago.

"Did you destroy them after viewing as instructed?" Owen indicated he had.

"And no one else saw them?" Owen nodded yes. What was going on, there really wasn't anything all that embarrassing on them. Ok, except maybe that one tape of Ianto puking on his shoes outside a club after a night of too much drinking.

"Good. Can I ask you what the reaction of your teammates has been to your involvement with Ianto?"

Owen shrugged. "Nothing alarming. I did tell Tosh that Ianto played chess; she can't wait to challenge him to a match. Suzie, well she's gone, and Gwen just joined so she doesn't know much about it. But she's very sympathetic in nature, so if anything she'll try to smother him."

"And what about the Captain."

"Yeah, I was wondering when you'd be getting to that. Please don't be angry at him…he doesn't want anything to do with Ianto or anyone from Torchwood One. Don't worry about Ianto's care; Jack understands his obligations and he's given me free reign to do what I think is best regardless of cost. He even wants me to look into purchasing a flat for Ianto so we can kit it up to help Ianto to cope his disabilities. But if you're thinking that Jack should give him a job or something, that's not going to happen. He doesn't want Ianto anywhere near the Hub."

Martha nodded. "No that's good. I'm relieved. I have something to show you. There are two more CCTV tapes that the Brigadier didn't show you. One we've had for a while and the Brigadier didn't know how you'd feel about it. The second one we just found and there could be some serious repercussions because of it."

She motioned him over to a small visitor sitting area that was empty. She pulled a small video player from her tote bag, turned it on and put it on Owen's lap. The first scene was Ianto coming out of club with a blond young man. Not Charlie. The man put his arm around Ianto's waist and Ianto turned and gave him a kiss. The man smiled and kissed him back. Then they walked out of the range of the camera.

"Oi, another tall leggy blond. At least he's consistent. Well I see why you might not want to share that with me. But no, it doesn't bother me, unless of course he takes a fancy to me. But, I have to ask, the Brigadier was concerned about how _**I**_ might react to it?"

Martha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, funny thing that. He didn't seem to be bothered, more perplexed than anything. He said something along the lines of 'these young kids today have a much more fluid idea of sexuality than we ever did.'"

They both laughed imagining how things had changed at UNIT in the time since the Brigadier had been a young soldier.

Martha sobered a bit. "The next one is the one we're concerned about."

She queued up the next scene; it was Ianto in a passionate embrace with a different man. The man had Ianto pushed against a wall and was kissing his neck and grinding his body against him. Ianto's face was tipped back, he looked ecstatic. Ianto grabbed the man by his coat collar and pushed him around to the wall. The man pushed Ianto down on his knees. His eyes were looking down at Ianto and he had a lazy smile on his face.

"I don't believe it. That's Captain Jack bloody Harkness. Fuck!"

Martha laughed as she switched off the player. "Well no they didn't, actually."

"Wait! How could they have met? When and where was this tape made?"

"London, in April."

Owen nodded. "Jack had been called up to Torchwood One for another smack down by Yvonne Hartmann. He was in a foul mood for days after he got back."

"Interesting, that might explain a few things. Not excuse them, mind you, but…as distasteful as you may find it, we think it's important for you to see the whole tape."

Owen watched in horror as Ianto performed oral sex on Jack. Something happened suddenly, and Jack lost control. Ianto struggled but Jack was relentless. Finally, Jack finished, released Ianto from his grasp and seemed to calm down.

Jack finally seemed to notice Ianto and pulled him roughly to his feet. Ianto looked dazed. As he leaned over to balance his arms on Jack's shoulders Jack pushed him away slamming him against the wall. Ianto's head hit the bricks hard. Jack took something out of his pocket and slapped it into Ianto's hand, then turned and walked out of view of the camera.

"Oh hell, he thinks Ianto's a rent boy!" Martha motioned Owen to be quiet and watch. Ianto looked at the bills and began to shout, presumably at Jack. Ianto's face was contorted with rage and suddenly he flung the money away from him just as Jack came back into view. Jack grabbed Ianto by the throat and held him against the wall. He face was about an inch from Ianto's and he silently glared at him. Ianto struggled, sneered while saying something to Jack. Jack released Ianto and struck his face backhanded with such force that Ianto was knocked to the ground. Jack reached down, yanked Ianto back to his feet and grabbed him by the throat again. This time as he pushed him against the wall he was speaking to him. Ianto understandably looked terrified. He nodded a few times at Jack. Jack let him go, turned to leave, then turned back, grabbed Ianto's head between his hands and pressed a long hard kiss onto Ianto's mouth.

Jack clearly was smirking when he turned and walked away. Ianto's back slid down the wall and he sat on the ground shaking and crying. Finally, he pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

"Charlie," Owen stated. Martha nodded. The tape was obviously edited at this point and the next part showed Charlie walking toward Ianto and crouching down in front of him. Charlie helped him to his feet and guided him away from the building and out of the camera's range. He was clearly perplexed by Ianto's predicament.

Owen ran his fingers through his hair. "Well that certainly complicates things a bit."

Martha sighed. "Yes it does. The fact that Jack doesn't want to be involved with Ianto is all to the better. I'm not saying that what we saw initially wasn't consensual, clearly it was. And since there is no audio, we can only surmise what happened after that. I agree that Jack probably did think that Ianto was for hire. But regardless, Jack was clearly over the line. And that worries me. I can't even imagine what might happen if one or both of them recognizes each other. He could do anything from attempting to prevent you from continuing your care of Ianto, to using Ianto's embarrassment about the incident to manipulate him for his own gain. And Ianto is and will be too emotionally fragile to deal with someone like Jack."

"You're right. I was concerned about Jack trying to hit on Ianto and intended to have a talk with him about Jack before we went to Cardiff. And I'm still going to. Regardless of whether Jack or Ianto recognize each other, Ianto definitely fits Jack's profile for men: tall, young, handsome, and willing. Martha, what the hell did the Brigadier say about this?"

"He was furious. At Jack. I believe the words he used were 'fucking bastard, if I didn't need him right now at Torchwood Three, I'd have him brought into UNIT for interrogation.'"

Owen winced. "And about Ianto."

"He was surprisingly nonjudgmental. Made a comment about young men having to be careful of older predators. He genuinely felt sorry for Ianto. So you don't have to worry about the Brigadier's reaction having any downside for Ianto. But, Jack is another story. He ordered me to tell you that if Jack so much as touches Ianto without his consent, that he will personally come to Cardiff and deal with it."

"Does it get any better...?" Owen started to say.

"Yes, it does. He also told me to inform you that you are under orders to report any such incident to him. If you don't, he said he will hold you personally responsible."

'Great, that just great. They are both grown men, how the hell am I going to prevent them from doing what they want if what they want to be doing is each other?"

"Do the best you can, keep their interactions to a minimum and if you need help, don't hesitate to call. I'm the one who convinced the Brigadier not to haul Jack in for a dressing down, so I'm on the line here too. We're counting on you." Martha gave Owen a kiss on the cheek, stood up and walked away.

Owen remained sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his head between his hands. He wondered what crimes he must have committed in a past life to deserve such a bitch of a payback.


	11. Caution

**_Title is from: Caution is the eldest child of Wisdom - Victor Hugo_**

Two weeks after Ianto, Owen and Martha met, Ianto was well enough to go with Owen to his flat. Ianto could walk slowly with just a cane by now, his leg had healed well but he had lost a lot of muscle tone, tired easily and his balance seemed a little off at times. His right hand was in a soft cast and was still useless and painful.

With great flourish, Owen handed Ianto a box after they entered the apartment. Ianto sat down on the worn sofa and pulled open the box with his good hand. It was a new Blackberry Curve. Ianto grinned up at Owen; this was going to make life a lot easier.

"Hey, I took the liberty of setting it up for you – I've put me and Martha on speed dial. I figured you could add other numbers as you liked. It's a model that's not on the market yet. It's got Wi-Fi, GPS, music and video downloading, I don't know what else. I just figured I'd get you the one with everything and that way I couldn't go wrong." He handed the phone over to Ianto.

Ianto frowned as he realized that he really didn't have any other phone numbers to add. He could see Owen watching him with concern and realized that Owen thought he didn't like the phone.

He turned the phone on and typed, '_Its fantastic, Owen. I'm a little overwhelmed. Thank you!'_

Owen smiled back, "You're a git, why shouldn't you have the best, it's not like I'm paying for it." They both laughed.

They quickly sorted Ianto's possessions into three categories: keep, store or give away. Ianto didn't want to get rid of anything, but Owen convinced him that it was time to move on from second-hand student furniture, milk crate bookcases and plastic cups.

"Look, you don't want this rubbish in your new flat. Trust me; milk crate bookcases do not impress the ladies. We'll get you set up somewhere decent, and get you some new stuff. Nothing too fancy, but just right for a professional starting out. And don't start on about who is going to pay for it. Torchwood can afford it."

So Ianto agreed that the old college furniture could go to charity along with some of the kitchenware and some text books he no longer needed. Owen packed up a two boxes of old comfortable clothes for Ianto to take to UNIT and put the rest aside for storage. Ianto's books, DVDs and other personal items were also put aside for storage.

As Ianto watched Owen finish packing up, he realized that he had hardly gotten to enjoy living in the flat. Six months at Torchwood, three months in the hospital, probably another three months at UNIT; by the time he was ready to return to Cardiff, a whole year would have gone by since he joined Torchwood.

Ianto typed some more and passed the phone over to Owen. '_How many of us are left? Survivors I mean.'_

"Just a handful, really. There were twenty-seven people including you who were rescued. Three died before reaching hospital, so that would be twenty-four. Three have gone to work for UNIT, two to other government positions, eight asked to be retconned that leaves eleven. You and three others are still undergoing rehabilitation. Three have ended their own lives. The other four….they're in psychiatric facilities."

Ianto took a moment to digest this information. '_What are my choices? Am I going to be retconned or locked away?'_

"No, your situation is a bit unique. You had the least service and the least exposure to classified information. You have seen alien artifacts, but hell half of the UK believes we've been visited by little green men. No ones being retconned against their wishes and I think that would be a unrealistic choice for you since you are going to need continuing care for quite some time."

'_What about working for UNIT or Torchwood Three?' _

"UNIT is a possibility but I want you to come back to Cardiff first and finish your recovery before you make any decision. And I won't lie to you, that could take as much as another year."

'_And Torchwood Three?' _

"That's not going to happen, Ianto. We're a very small operation and we just don't have a suitable position for you."

'_I can tell that you are not telling me the whole story.'_

Owen snorted. "You got me. OK, there are two reasons why Three is not an option. First, Captain Harkness doesn't want anything to do with anyone from Torchwood One. I know that seems unfair, but why would you want to go work for someone who is just going to give you a hard time? Second reason, is a bit more personal. I don't want you working there…"

Ianto couldn't believe Owen was saying this to him. He could understand Captain Harkness…well actually he couldn't, but he could understand why Owen would feel that he couldn't do anything about it. But Owen didn't want him there…what the fuck!

"Listen, you don't know Captain Harkness. You probably heard something about him at Torchwood One, right?"

Ianto nodded.

"He's not crazy, that part isn't true. But he can be a bastard, a right bastard when he wants to be. Which is a fair amount of the time. He and I don't get along all that well and you'd become a pawn between us. You don't need that kind of shite in your life."

'_There's something else Owen.'_

Owen shook his head 'No'.

'_Owen, you know I have a little empathic ability. You're broadcasting anxiety.' _

"Fuck, Ianto he's dangerous. Yeah, I can see you've heard that one before. And he's physically and emotionally manipulative as well as incredibly sexually aggressive. There are times he actually scares the crap out of me. And you are just the type he likes to mess around with. I'm keeping you as far away from him as possible."

'_What? So you don't think I can take care of myself? Or are you afraid I like men? Or you'd like to shag him so you don't want competition?'_

"That's enough! I don't care who you mess around with, I really don't. I've seen guys look at you as well as women. That's your business. And Captain Gigolo Harkness is the last person, woman or man, I'd be interested in. But he's dangerous, particularly for someone who is recovering from trauma. He has almost no boundary control. A refusal to him is just a challenge to be overcome. I want you to be able to have a happy life when you return to Cardiff. And I don't want to have to get involved in your private life. So please, please do me this one stinking favor – go have sex with anyone you like who's of age, with the exception of Jack Harkness! Is that so much to ask?"

'_No, I guess not. But if he's such a bastard then why do you work for him?'_

"It's complicated."

_'I'll bet.' _


	12. Conflict

**_The title is from: The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know - Napolean Bonaparte._**

As Owen drove back to Cardiff, he reflected on the latest developments in his ongoing care of Ianto. 'Bugger it, why did I decide to play big hero at Canary Wharf? Look where being a good guy has landed me. More work, stuck looking after an invalid, certain to be in trouble with Jack at some point because of this…..' Ok, so maybe not an invalid, and it wasn't Ianto's fault, but he hardly had time for himself anymore. No, not true, he just didn't feel like going out much anymore. Too tired after work and reviewing all of Ianto's medical records daily and coordinating his care.

Owen knew that Ianto would be fine under Martha's watchful eye, but he also knew he wasn't going to stop reading the daily updates and calling and checking to make sure everything was running smoothly.

And then there was his eventual return to Cardiff. Owen acknowledged that it was this that was really putting him on edge. He needed to find a flat for Ianto, as well as have a continuing care plan in place. There was also that little matter with Jack, not to mention sorting things out with Ianto's mother and sister.

As he pulled into the parking garage near the Hub, Owen sighed, wiping a hand across his face. 'Maybe I can get Tosh or Gwen to help me…I'm just not good with this stuff.'

Owen reckoned he would have to somehow bribe Tosh and Gwen; he was not in their good graces at this point. He probably shouldn't have teased Gwen about her boyfriend calling him The Big Oaf, and there was the unfortunate incident involving the caustic blue goop he had dropped on Tosh's work station destroying her keyboard and several important reports.

He was relieved to see that everything was quiet when he entered the Hub. Tosh was engrossed with something on her computer and Gwen was reviewing reports of some kind. Neither acknowledged his presence.

"Where's Jack?"

"In his office," Tosh replied without breaking her concentration on her work.

"Right, well I'll just go check in with him then."

As he started up the stairs to Jack's office, Gwen and Tosh looked at each other and smiled.

Owen stood outside Jack's office and watching him muttering over some paperwork. He was obviously very angry about something, and Owen wisely began to back quietly away from the office.

"Owen, get in here and sit down."

Owen sighed and entered Jack's office. "I don't want to bother you, you seem pretty busy. But I wanted to talk to you about Ianto Jones when you have a moment."

Jack rose out of his chair and slammed his palms on the top of his desk.

"What is it now! I've had UNIT up my ass ever since Canary Wharf. Between the reports, inspections, meetings, conference calls, security checks and other nonsense, we're barely able to keep an eye on the rift. I've given you an unlimited budget as well as time off to handle Jones, can't you at least take one thing off my back! Makes me sorry I didn't stick to my guns about having him retconned and put away in a secure facility."

Owen couldn't believe Jack could be so callous and by gods he wasn't taking this sitting down. Owen stood up and began to shout back at Jack. "You prick, you self-absorbed prick! Sure let's just lock him away because he's inconvenient and more work, and you don't want to deal with it. Well he doesn't have a choice but to deal with it! And he'll be dealing with it every day for the rest of his life. He'll be 24 years old in a few weeks. He should be going to clubs, and dating, maybe thinking about getting married. He should have a nice job and a nice flat and looking forward to his future. And what's he got? The inability to speak which does not look like its going to get better, a hand that's not going to function completely even after surgery. Oh and as a bonus, no family to care for him, and complete disdain from the person who is ultimately responsible for his care. Frankly, I don't know why he hasn't put a bullet in his brain by now. After all it would be much more convenient for you!"

Owen stood up to leave. Jack was furious. "Don't you dare walk out of this office Owen."

Owen turned to walk out of Jack's office and was startled to see Tosh and Gwen standing in the doorway.

Tosh interrupted, "Shut up, both of you, just shut up! "You," she said turning to Jack, "have been behaving like a child having a temper tantrum, and you," she pointed toward Owen, "have been running yourself ragged with this Jones project but too proud to ask for help."

Jack stared at Tosh. She never spoke up or gave opinions unless asked. What was she so pissed about?

"And I swear Jack, if I ever hear you speak about retconning someone and locking them away when they represent no danger to anyone, the least of your worries will be from UNIT."

Gwen stood quietly taking this all in. She didn't know much about Ianto Jones, but she knew that Jack and Owen had both been involved in the rescue operations at Canary Wharf. And in her opinion, both of them were showing some signs of post-traumatic stress from being there.

"Could I make a suggestion?" Everyone turned to look at her; Owen with irritation, Jack with a smirk, Tosh with curiosity.

"If it's OK with Jack, I think we should all get out of here, get some rest and meet tomorrow to discuss this. You two should list out what needs to be done with due dates. Then we can see how to divide the work up so no one's overwhelmed. We're supposed to be a team, maybe its time we started to act like one."

Owen wasn't ready to let go of his anger at Jack just yet. "Hell, that's why I came to Jack – to ask for help…"

"Well, it's a little late to start asking for help after the dam has burst," Jack retorted.

Gwen and Tosh both rolled their eyes. Tosh gritted her teeth and said, "What part of ENOUGH, don't you guys understand?"

Jack sighed and sat down. When did everything go to hell? He had a good team assembled and they were working well together and then Canary Wharf happened, and Suzie got crazed, now UNIT, what next? He took a deep breath.

"Tosh and Gwen have a point and we're not getting anywhere yelling at each other. Let's get together tomorrow at 9 AM for a group meeting. Owen, can you get a list together by then?" Jack was so calm it was scary.

"No problem, none at all."

"The rift is quiet, so why don't we knock off now and baring any emergencies, I don't want anyone here before 8:45 AM."

As they packed up for the night, Gwen asked Tosh about Ianto Jones and Canary Wharf. Tosh really didn't know that much herself, but thought that this might be an opportunity to talk to Gwen and get to know her a little more. If, of course, she didn't have to run home to her boyfriend.

"You have time for a drink, it's early?"

Gwen looked at her watch. Only 6:00 PM. That was early for Torchwood. She really wanted to spend the evening with Rhys but remembered that he was meeting some of his friends for a few rounds at the pub.

"After today, I have time for a couple of drinks. Let me call Rhys and let him know I won't be home until later."

Tosh eyed Gwen as she called her boyfriend and explained that she was going out for drinks with a co-worker. Gwen smiled as spoke, laughing at something Rhys said, told him she loved him and ended the call.

'After today, she must think she joined a band of lunatics' mused Tosh. 'I wonder how long it will be before she becomes like us.'


	13. Cooperation

**_Summary: Owen gets a little help from his friends._**

**_Chapter title is from: No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main - John Donne_**

Everyone was a little on edge as they gathered around the conference table at 9 AM the next morning. Jack noticed that Owen was sober which was a good sign. Tosh noticed that Jack looked a little more relaxed than he had in days. Everyone noticed that Gwen had stopped and picked up muffins and coffee, something she had never done previously.

Jack thought he should say something before they got started.

"I'm going to start by apologizing to you all for the way I've been acting the last couple of weeks. As you probably surmised, UNIT is putting a lot of pressure on us. While they are aware that we had nothing to do with the fall of Torchwood One, they are understandably worried about something of that magnitude happening again. So, they are going to make us jump through hoops until they are satisfied that we know what we are doing.

Tosh thought for a moment. "But can they really do anything to us? They don't have jurisdiction over us, do they?"

Jack explained that while UNIT had no real control over Torchwood that as a practical matter they could put pressure on the British government (and through them, Her Majesty), which could lead to problems.

"I've never been one for paperwork, but I'm really trying to cooperate with them. But for every report I complete, it seems to generate ten more requests for additional information."

Gwen snorted. "Are these technical reports or incident reports or budget reports or what?"

"Mostly incidents going back the last few years. We haven't kept the best of records and it's hard to remember what happened."

"Well, it's your lucky day, because you happened to hire a paperwork expert. You can't imagine how much paper pushing there is involved in police work. And I was considered the 'Goddess of Reports' at the Cardiff headquarters."

Jack was a little hesitant, since Gwen hadn't been around for most of the cases, but she persuaded him by pointing out that she needed to review past cases anyway and should be able to complete most of the forms on her own. They could meet as a group to fill in any missing information.

Jack smirked. "Ah, that would be that concept of teamwork you spoke about yesterday."

Owen asked if Jack thought that Brigadier Hamilton might be able to get some of the pressure off them. Jack admitted that he didn't know how much influence the Brigadier had in these matters or whether he'd be willing to help in any case.

"Well if you OK it, let me talk to him when I go to UNIT for Ianto's first hand surgery. Now I know you all will be amazed but we've been getting along famously. Really. I'm even getting along with the UNIT physician who's been overseeing Ianto's medical care in London."

"What's she look like," Jack quipped.

"You got me; she's lovely, almost as brilliant as I am but unfortunately, very, very engaged." Everyone laughed. "Yes, I'm just not having very good luck with the ladies lately. Too busy watching over my new 'little brother'. But once he's in Cardiff, I'm going to make sure he gets out and has some fun."

Gwen just had to ask. "Owen is that for the benefit of Mr. Jones or are you going to use him to attract the ladies?"

"Oi, I'm perfectly capable of attracting women, but seriously, he is an absolute chick magnet!" And before you wonder how I know, UNIT did a deep background check on him including his, shall we say, romantic life. I've never seen so many tall, long-legged blondes in one set of CCTV photos ever."

Tosh rolled her eyes. "Owen, would you mind reviewing a little of your involvement with Mr. Jones? I don't know much of what's happened since his rescue and Gwen pointed out that she's only heard bits and pieces about him."

Owen reviewed the history of his rescue from Canary Wharf, care at the hospital, upcoming move to UNIT medical facilities and eventual move back to Cardiff.

"Which brings me to my list. Is that OK, Jack?" Jack nodded. Owen passed out the list to everyone. "I know it's not real organized, I'm just not good at this type of stuff."

***

Owen's List

**Ianto Jones Issues**

**Communication**

unable to speak – prognosis of improvement - poor

currently uses text messaging for communication with others

OK for one-on-one, not good for groups

What else might be available?

**Mobility**

walking should be near normal, may need use of cane

energy level is not normal, tires easily, prognosis unknown

small chance he may need wheelchair at times

driving – probably yes, but may need some special equipment

**Dexterity**

Only has use of non-dominant hand

Prognosis for dominant hand is uncertain

Probably will not have full dexterity or strength

**Living Situation**

Can live independently with modifications.

Single level flat desirable to decrease fatigue and chance of injury

Must have accessible facilities in case wheelchair use is necessary

Lease or purchase?

Is he in Cardiff permanently?

How much retrofitting can be done to a leased flat vs. outright purchase?

Needs to be able to get around on his own. If no car, needs to be located near a bus line.

**Furnishings **– has none to speak of. A few towels, sheets, some kitchenware.

**Clothes **– some cut up due to mobility limitations. May need new?

**Family support**

No relationship with Cardiff family

***

Tosh said that she would work on the communications issues. She thought there were some commercial voice programs that could sync with a cell phone or PDA, she'd look into it. And perhaps there was something in the archives that could be utilized.

Gwen volunteered to take care of the home furnishings. "Considering that Cardiff has an IKEA store, this should be easy and not too expensive. This is going to be so much fun!"

Owen snorted. "Yeah, big fun. Just make sure you remember that you're decorating a flat for a young man. No girly stuff, please."

"Yes, yes, I will take Rhys with to make sure that all purchases pass the official manly man test. And delivery is no problem since Rhys works for a trucking firm. But all this depends on the flat."

Jack spoke up. "I've actually been doing a bit of looking myself. Originally I thought that buying was best because we could do whatever we wanted to the place. But after looking, I'm leaning more toward a rental – that way if he doesn't like it or doesn't want to stay in Cardiff we won't have to worry about disposing of a property."

Tosh nodded. "There's that new complex that's almost finished not too far from here. I think its five stories with elevators so we wouldn't have to worry about stairs. They're soft loft spaces so not a lot of walls or obstacles he'd have to maneuver around. Best of all, since its brand new construction it's compliant with all the new disability regulations so we know the floor plan will be able to accommodate a wheelchair if necessary. It's going to have dedicated high speed internet lines as well as the usual phone/cable lines."

Gwen knew exactly the building Tosh was talking about. "I know its on a bus line so he could get around on his own. And I thought I read that it's going to have a small grocers, a chemist, a dry cleaner and some other shops on the ground floor which would help as well."

Jack smiled, they were actually acting like a team sharing ideas and helping each other without being asked. "So tell me, just how much is this flat going to set us back?"

"I can check on it," Tosh volunteered. There's a variety of sizes; so hopefully we can find something that fits our budget. What is our budget, by the way?"

"Interesting that you should ask, so far I've had pretty much a blank check, but I'll have to get approval on an expenditure of this size. So Tosh, get me those specs and Owen and I will review them and make sure that whatever we chose will be suitable given his physical limitations. And Gwen, can you put together an estimate for furniture and separately for soft goods."

Owen couldn't believe all the help he was getting from the others. "I really appreciate this guys, I didn't know where to begin. Obviously, I'll be taking care of transitioning his care and getting him physically to Cardiff. And I have unenviable task of going to meet his sister and mother and see if I can't draw up a little peace treaty for the family. Yeah, that should be fun."

"Yes, Owen as peace maker," Jack pondered. "Next flying pigs will be coming through the rift."

"Oi, watch it Jack. I'll take care of it, but if it turns into a full scale brawl, I'll be calling you all for backup."

Tosh was curious as to whether Ianto would be restricted to living in Cardiff. Jack shrugged.

"UNIT agreed that once he's completed his rehab that he's free to move wherever he wants. And I'm pretty sure that they could find a place for him within their organization if he wanted. But nobody's defined what constitutes completion and no one's committed to what type of support he will be entitled to if he can't find a job or take care of himself. We're kind of in uncharted waters here. But I can tell you that the settlements with the families of the victims have been on the scale of just under a million pounds to almost three million. Frankly, I can't see Jones getting less than a couple million. He's single with no dependents, but young and will need that money to last a long time if he can't work."

Everyone was amazed at how large the settlements were. Tosh quipped that Jones should feel like he's won the lottery. Gwen added that maybe they ought to be looking at something nicer than IKEA for his apartment. Jack joined in that with that type of settlement, he didn't have anything to worry about.

Owen felt a little sick inside. As much as he didn't want to start up with Jack again, he couldn't help noting, "A million or more pounds, and I bet he'd trade it in a heartbeat to have his speech and hand restored."

Jack glared at Owen. Count on Owen to throw a damper on everyone's good mood. Then he realized that Owen was right. There was no way to measure Ianto's loss against an arbitrary amount of money. Maybe he'd end up with a satisfying life filled with laughter and love or maybe he'd end up with isolation and pain as his only companions.

"OK team, on that happy note, let's get busy and see how quickly we can show some results on these items."


	14. Change and Acceptance

**_Summary: Ianto moves to the UNIT medical facility._**

**_Chapter title is from: Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted (unattributed)._**

It was mid September when Ianto made the transition to UNIT's London medical facility. Owen drove him over on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

"I thought we should get you settled a couple of days prior to your surgery. If all goes well, they'll do the lab workups on Monday and you'll have surgery first thing on Tuesday. I'll be staying over in London until after your surgery, OK?

Ianto nodded.

"Hey what's the matter? You don't seem like yourself today."

'_Owen, I'm tired. Tired of being in pain, tired of not sleeping, tired of everything. I just don't know how much more of this I can take.'_

Owen didn't know what to say. Ianto had appeared to go through everything without being much bothered, but obviously his stoic persona was covering up a lot of trauma.

"Why didn't you say anything, if you were in pain and not sleeping?"

'_I'm afraid to sleep, every time I close_ _my eyes, I can hear the screams and the Cybermen and the Daleks.'_

"Ianto, you should have told me, you need to tell me things like this."

Ianto sighed. He reckoned he should have told Owen, but Owen was clearly stretched to his limits and he didn't want him to have more to worry about.

He shook his head at Owen.

"Don't say you shouldn't, I'm the doctor coordinating your care; I can't help you if you won't let me." Owen could see that Ianto was almost in tears. That wasn't the Ianto he knew…he must be having a really bad day. Best not to push him too hard.

They arrived at the facility and were directed to the long term care wing. They were met there by a patient care coordinator and the Brigadier's attaché. Kelly O'Hara, the patient care coordinator explained that while the facility was designed on the typical hospital model, with rooms designed for short term inpatient care that the long term care wing was set up to care for patients who needed multiple surgeries or extensive rehab.

"We try to make it a little less like a hospital room and a little more like a guest room."

The room wasn't bad. It actually looked a lot like a modest hotel room. A single queen size bed, a dresser and nightstand, a small table and two chairs and a TV armoire were the only furniture in the room. Owen smiled when he saw how the bed still had movable side bars that were hidden by the colorful bedding and floral comforter. A walk-in shower stall, sink and commode were in a separate room.

"Look Ianto, there's a mini-fridge."

'_I was actually hoping for a mini-bar.'_

Kelly laughed. "We get a surprising number of requests for that. Sorry, alcohol and painkillers are generally a bad combination. I'll leave you to get settled and I'll be back later to go over your charts, OK, Ianto?

Ianto nodded. After Kelly left, Owen helped Ianto unpack. Ianto looked exhausted and Owen sat him down on the bed, pulled his shoes off and urged him to lie down. He didn't want to in front of the Brigadier's attaché, but Saundra put him at ease.

"You might as well get used to me; I'm going to be here with you a lot. So if there's anything you want or need, you tell me. Dr. Harper won't be here indefinitely so I'm going to be your advocate for as long as you're here."

They were interrupted by a knock from outside the room. "Come in," Owen yelled. In walked Martha Jones. She took one look at Ianto and realized that Ianto was not his usual upbeat self. She went over and gave Ianto a hug and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Someone's looking a bit off today. What's the matter, don't hold back." Ianto sighed and brought back up the text he had typed for Owen earlier. "How bad is the pain, Ianto? On a scale of one to ten…"

'7'

"That's high, this is worse than usual." Ianto nodded.

"Right, let me make a few calls and see what we can give you without throwing your surgery off track. I'll be back just as soon as I can. Hopefully with some drugs."

Owen approached Ianto's bed and sat down. "Why didn't you tell me you were in so much pain? You've never noted a number as high as seven since the first weeks you were in the hospital."

'_They told me at the hospital they couldn't give me anything more so I didn't think there was any point in asking. I didn't want to be a bother.' _

Owen didn't know what to do. Hug him and tell him he was brave, shake him and tell him he had to speak up, or maybe he and Ianto should just have a good cry together. Fortunately, he was saved by Martha coming back in with some medication and a glass of water.

"We're in luck. I've got some different pain killers approved. They're pretty strong but short lasting. You'll be able to have them through tomorrow night."

Ianto took the pills and within minutes the medication began to kick in. He tried to reach over to get his phone off the nightstand but missed by several inches. He tried again and managed to knock the phone onto the floor.

"Oi look who's stoned," Owen teased. Ianto didn't respond. He gazed at the nightstand for another minute, slid down on the bed and closed his eyes.

Owen, Martha and Saundra quietly left Ianto's room. Martha noted that Ianto really looked worse than the last time she had seen him. Thinner, tired, unhappy. Owen agreed and explained that the pain and long recovery were taking their toll on Ianto's attitude.

"I think he's just getting worn out from everything. On the drive over, he questioned whether it even worth going on. I don't think he's a suicide risk, but I think the reality of how hard everyday life is going to be for him even with optimal results is finally sinking in."

Saundra had given some thought to Ianto's present circumstances. "I think what Ianto needs is some friends his own age. You know, someone to play cards with, to talk to about whatever young men talk about, watch videos, that kind of stuff. Since Charlie died, he's really not had any friends."

"Just don't be asking me to sneak any tall, leggy blonds in here, OK?"

Saundra laughed. "No, I think it's a bit too soon for that, but I do know some young men who I think would get along well with Ianto. Dr. Harper, I have a son who is in his late twenties and just finished his second tour in Afghanistan. He has a shrapnel wound in his leg and is just getting back into a normal routine. He still comes here twice a week for therapy. And the Brigadier has two sons, one in his mid-twenties and the other just turned thirty who are very outgoing, smart, spend a fair amount of time chasing girls, and are generally still giving their father grief."

"Sounds perfect. Just what Ianto needs. Guys to take him drinking and hitting on girls."

"You know Owen," Martha said carefully, "it may be just what Ianto needs." Owen thought she was daft. "No really. He needs to be 24 years old, do stupid stuff that young men do, drink too much occasionally, chat up some girls, fall in love and get his heart broken. To feel alive. He's just existing now, not really living. And I'm pretty sure Saundra wouldn't be recommending Hamilton's sons if they were delinquents or something."

Saundra laughed. "No, by anyone else's standards they'd be fine sons. But to the Brigadier the fact that his two youngest have no interest in a career in military service is a great disappointment to him. But they'll be fine. They just need to grow up a little and figure out what they want to do with their lives. His oldest son is from an early marriage. He's probably close to forty now. Oddly enough, though he's a Major in the Royal Marines he and the Brigadier never had much of a relationship. They gotten a bit closer the last few years, but for many years, they were barely on speaking terms."

"Probably was a much stricter father with the oldest," Owen guessed.

Saundra just shrugged her shoulders. "Who can say for sure. But everyone has disappointments in their lives. And while Ianto certainly has more than his share, he doesn't have to carry it by himself."

*******

Ianto felt a bit better when he woke up Sunday morning. The pain in his hand was back to a dull throb and he was able to ignore it in large part. He ate breakfast and even watched some TV.

Owen showed up around Noon with Kelly. "Ms. O'Hara is here to go over your paperwork. And if you behave yourself, I've got some more of Dr. Jones' wonderful painkillers for you when we finish."

"Dr. Harper, he's behaving just fine. He's entitled to have an off day just like everyone else. And let's stop with the Ms. O'Hara, its Kelly, OK?"

Both men nodded. It took about an hour to review all the paperwork. Once all the forms were completed and signed, Owen handed over the pain killers to Ianto. Kelly gave Ianto a hug and said she would stop by later and see how he was doing. After she left the room, Owen teased him about Kelly.

"Oi, I think someone has a crush on you. Every girl you meet has their hands all over you. I've never seen anything like it."

Ianto yawned. _'Don't be ridiculous, not my type.'_

"You should seriously consider expanding your thinking. She's got a body to die for. Sparkling green eyes, freckles. Lovely, lovely lady."

'_Yeah? Why don't you ask her out Mr. Horndog?'_

"It wasn't me she was mooning over."

'_Too tired Owen, let me sleep, okay?'_

Owen stayed the afternoon in Ianto's room while Ianto slept. Finally, Owen woke him up when a dinner tray was dropped off. Despite Owen's cajoling, Ianto managed to eat only about half of it. They watched television for about an hour and then Owen prepared to leave.

"I'm giving you some more pain killers now, and if you wake up later, the night nurse can give you a half dose. That's it until after surgery. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day Ianto, you've got your pre-operative blood work and scans and Martha and the surgeon will be by at some point to review the surgical plans. And if you start to feel overwhelmed, for piss sake, tell me alright?"

Ianto nodded. Owen watched him take the medication, and within minutes Ianto began to relax. Just before Owen left the room he leaned over and whispered "sweet dreams of green-eyed redheads, Ianto."


	15. Struggle

**_Summary: Ianto prepares for surgury._**

**_Chapter title is from: If there is not struggle, there is no progress - Frederick Douglass_**

As Owen predicted Monday was a very tough day. As the narcotics wore off and the tests dragged on, Ianto became increasingly uncomfortable. He had difficulty holding still for some of the MRI scans which then had to be repeated. Blood tests were followed by pulmonary function tests, and hand x-rays. The worst were the injections of various dyes to get images of blood flow in his damaged hand. Ianto struggled as Owen and a radiology tech immobilized his hand in several awkward positions for imaging.

By the time the surgeon and Martha stopped by his room, Ianto was completely unglued. He pushed his cell phone at Martha before she had even said hello.

'_Martha, need meds, hurts like hell.'_

"Sweetheart, I wish I could, but I can't. Just hang in there, in 24 hours this will all be over."

Ianto squeezed his eyes shut and slid down to lay flat on the bed. 'This totally sucks. Wish they'd just cut the whole fuckin' hand off and be done with it.'

The surgeon walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. He was an older man in his early sixties, with graying hair and a keenly intelligent face. Considered one of the finest hand surgeons in the UK and available to UNIT only upon request from the highest levels, Martha had gone to considerable lengths to secure Dr. Mason for Ianto's surgery. Owen hoped like hell that Ianto would behave himself.

"Ianto, my name is Dr. Mason and I'm going to be the primary surgeon on your hand tomorrow. Son, I'd like to look at your hand if I may."

Ianto turned away from the surgeon and pulled the sheet over his head willing the surgeon to leave. He gritted his teeth thinking, 'I'm not your bloody son, so just fuck off will ya.'

Owen couldn't believe Ianto was behaving so immaturely. "Hey, what the hell's the matter with you? You sit up right now and let the doctor look at your hand." Ianto pulled the cover more tightly over him, furious that Owen was speaking to him like a child. 'And you're not my Tad either,' he raged silently, 'so bugger off!'

Owen turned to apologize to Dr. Mason who motioned him not to speak. "Dr. Harper, why don't you and Dr. Jones wait outside while Ianto and I have a chat, OK?" Owen wanted to protest, to warn the surgeon that Ianto could go off like an atomic bomb at any moment. The surgeon smiled at Owen, nodded his understanding and cocked his head toward the door. Reluctantly Owen and Martha left the room.

Dr. Mason sighed and reached over to pull the sheet off Ianto's head. "Hurts like a son-of-a bitch, doesn't it?" Ianto nodded. "You're probably thinking that you'd rather have the hand removed, am I right?" He slowly pulled the sheet down to free Ianto's hand from the covers. "Am I right?" he repeated. Ianto nodded. "I hear that a lot…before surgery that it. Rarely after surgery though."

The surgeon continued to speak softly to Ianto examining his hand while he explained what the first surgery was supposed to accomplish. "First thing is we need is to get rid of any remaining bone fragments; they're just getting in the way and creating a lot of the inflammation and pain. We'll be able to get a much better look at the extent of nerve and tendon damage and see what we can fix. You're actually pretty lucky; you had minimal vascular damage so the blood flow to the hand has been good and we're not expecting to find any major tissue necrosis. Some of this we'll just have to see as we go. At some point we will also be replacing a few of the joints that are damaged beyond repair but I think that will most likely occur during a subsequent surgery."

Ianto wasn't sure he understood half of what the Dr. Mason was telling him, but he felt calmed by the man's soft soothing voice. Dr. Mason kept speaking softly to Ianto until he saw his eyes closing. He chuckled got up from the bed and left the room.

Martha and Owen were worried at how quiet Ianto's room had become. As Dr. Mason came out of the room, they bombarded him with questions.

"Its way too quiet in there, what's going on?" Martha asked.

The surgeon smiled. "I'm quite used to the type of behavior Ianto's exhibiting this evening. Hand crush injuries are often excruciatingly painful and the removal of pain medicine prior to surgery often leaves patients feeling overwhelmed. And general hospitals often manage pain by overusing narcotics so you have an issue with irritability from withdrawal along with pain from the injury. It's not an attractive combination. All things considered, he's doing pretty well. I've seen patients so out of control that they've had to be restrained the night before surgery.

"Just curious, do you know if he was ever tested for empathic ability?" Owen was surprised by the question, but confirmed that Ianto had tested above normal in that area, and related how easily Ianto had been able to sense when he was being evasive.

"Can't say I'm surprised. I worked as a general surgeon for Torchwood One early in my career, so I've seen a lot of interesting patients. He's seems to be very sensitive to feelings emoting from others. Did you notice how he mirrored your anger back at you? I've seen that in a couple of other Torchwood employees; but they were highly trained empaths. Ianto doesn't have any training to know how to control the emotions coming at him so he just blasts it back at full force." Owen nodded. That made a lot of sense. He noticed that when he and Ianto had a disagreement it had a way of escalating exponentially.

"His pain and withdrawal were probably enhanced by your anxiety about the surgery tomorrow. So you need to try to project calmness rather than anger. His brain is a bit like a feedback loop and the angrier you get, the angrier he gets. And it's really not his fault; he has no skills in controlling it. So it comes out looking like petulance and childishness, when it's actually his psyche trying to deal with everyone's emotions bombarding his brain."

"All I did was speak softly and calmly to him; and again the more calmness I projected, the quieter he got. I also tried to think of calming images; I'm not sure how much he can actually pick-up but I'm guessing from how quickly he relaxed, quite a lot."

***

The surgery on Tuesday went surprisingly well, if not a bit longer than expected. Owen and Martha and Saundra waited patiently for the surgery to be completed. The four hour surgery stretched to five hours and then six. The Brigadier called in twice, Jack called once, and Tosh and Gwen each called once as well. Finally, after six and a half hours, they were told that Ianto was in recovery.

Dr. Mason came out to speak to them. His surgical team had been able to make more progress than expected. The small device Owen had brought from Torchwood had minimized bleeding allowing the team to work much quicker. They had been able to clean out all the loose bone fragments, repair torn tendons and ligaments and replace three finger joints. They had stabilized the remaining bones and were hopeful that Ianto would end up with a reasonable amount of movement in the hand.

Owen wasn't sure as a practical matter what all this meant. "What do you mean by reasonable? Will he able to write or cut his own food?"

"More than likely he will have enough strength to pull open drawers and yes, cut up his own food. If he learns to use his left hand a bit more, he should have enough dexterity to button clothes and tie shoes. Writing is more complex and I can't really give you a good answer to that now. He'll need at least one more surgery and extensive physical therapy but I'm cautiously optimistic."

Ianto spent several hours in recovery before he was brought back to his room. He was heavily sedated and drifted in and out of consciousness. Just as Martha, Saundra and Owen were getting ready to leave, the Brigadier stopped by. He stood by Ianto's bed for a while and just watched him sleep.

Jack called in and Owen updated him on Ianto's condition. The Brigadier motioned that he wanted to talk to Jack. He took the phone from Owen and stepped outside the room. Fortunately, the Brigadier was not a soft-spoken man and the doctors and the attaché got a pretty good idea of what was going on between UNIT and Torchwood Three.

"They're very happy with the reports that have been coming in. Yes, I think they know how you felt about Yvonne Hartmann, but some of UNIT's bureaucrats are looking for a little payback for Torchwood One's stepping on their toes….no don't think there's going to be any disciplinary action taken against you or your staff. In fact, there's been some talk of a special commendation for Dr. Harper….Ianto Jones; he looks like hell, actually. Funny about him, sometimes he looks like he's 15 years old, other times he looks like he's 115. Yeah, poor bugger isn't the half of it… Ok, keep in touch."

The Brigadier came back into Ianto's room, and returned Owen's cell phone. He stood a few more minutes by Ianto's bed and to everyone's amazement, leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. He nodded to the others and left the room.

Saundra was the next to leave. She tucked the covers around Ianto and stroked his cheek. She told Owen and Martha that she'd see them both tomorrow.

Martha and Owen looked at each other and smiled. Martha went over and sat on the bed. She leaned over and whispered something to Ianto and kissed his cheek. Owen rolled his eyes. "Your turn," quipped Martha.

Owen sat down next to Ianto. "You did really fantastic today Ianto. I'm so proud of you. We're all so proud of you. I'll be back in the morning. Dream of green-eyed redheads, OK?"


	16. Friendship

SUMMARY: Ianto makes a new friend.

**_Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful...The Dalai Lama_**_**  
**_  
Ianto was surprised that rehab on his hand started the day after surgery. He was still pretty doped up but a therapist came by to test finger sensitivity and manipulate his hand so none of the ligaments and tendons would tighten up from lack of use.

Within a week he was going to physical therapy in the rehabilitation center. He watched other patients undergoing treatment and realized that he wasn't nearly the worst off person being treated.

After one particularly grueling session, he texted Owen when he got back to his room.

'_I got to tell you, this was a BAD day. The therapist kept flexing my fingers backwards; I swear she was trained at the CIA's Guantanamo Bay school of physical therapy. Good thing, I can't make noise, I'm sure I would have been calling her every nasty name I could think of in Welsh, between the screaming of course.'_

Owen was concerned that Ianto was getting adequate pain relief, but Ianto insisted he was OK. 'O_wen, there's guys here who don't have legs, one guy had the side of his face shot off, so if they cam keep them out of pain, I don't think you have to worry about me.'_

Owen wasn't fully convinced but figured he'd follow up with Martha to make sure everything was going as well as Ianto stated.

***

About three weeks into his therapy, Saundra stopped by and asked if he felt up to meeting someone she wanted to introduce to him later that day. Ianto shrugged and nodded.

A few hours later, Saundra came back with a man who looked familiar from the therapy center. Ianto had noticed him walking with a slight limp and had been told that he had a leg injury from shrapnel. Ianto thought he might be older than him by a few years and while he wasn't as tall as Ianto, he was much more powerfully built.

"Ianto, this is my son, Lieutenant Jonathan Bennett. He's just back from his second tour in Afghanistan." She carefully put his coat on a chair as well as something on the table. "I'm leaving a little something for you both on the table over here, and I'll let you two get acquainted," she said as she headed to the door.

The man held out his right hand. Ianto looked at his own right hand, shrugged and held out his left hand instead. The man switched to his left hand and laughed nervously.

"Sorry about that. I didn't think. Just call me John."

Ianto held up his phone for the man to see and began to type. '_Ianto Jones, it's pronounced Yantoe. Yeah, I haven't quite figured out how to handle that yet. Don't mean to be rude, but I can't afford any further damage to the hand. '_

"Canary Wharf, right." Ianto nodded. "Pretty lucky all things considered. Not many survivors were there?"

Ianto was a little taken back by John's bluntness, but realized that as someone who had seen combat he would be used to talking about casualties.

'_What happened to you?'_

"Our transport hit a roadside bomb. Only two out of the eight of us survived. You've seen the man in the therapy who lost both his legs?" Ianto nodded. "He's the other survivor. You could say I'm pretty lucky as well."

'_Shit, I'm really sorry.'_

"I'll make you a deal. Let's agree that we're both lucky bastards and not have any pity parties, OK?"

Ianto smiled. '_Yeah, that sounds good.'_

"Let's see what Mother left for us." It was a small chess set. "I've heard you're pretty good. Not bad myself, and no I'm not going to let you win. Oh and there's one special rule. You can only move the pieces with your right hand." John smirked as he sat down at the table and began to set up the board.

Ianto sat down across from him_._ When he tried to reach out with his left hand, John lightly smacked it away. "Last time I checked, I outranked you Torchwood arse-wipe, and if I say you're playing with your right hand, then that's what you are going to do."

'_Screw you, Lieutenant Cocksucker!'_

"Yeah, bite me you fuck-tard."

'_You just watch me whip your arse.'_

"Promises, promises. You want white or black?"

They played two games, both ending in draws. Ianto didn't realize how much he had used his right hand until they finished the second game. John saw him wince a little as he moved his hand. "Are you due some pain medication?"

'_Unfortunately, not for another hour. And somebody forgot to refill the mini-bar.'_

"Mother would kill me, but have some of mine." John pulled a small bottle out of his coat pocket, took a sip and handed it to Ianto. Ianto wasn't sure it was the best idea, but what the hell, he took a good sized gulp.

"Let's have that back; if you end up wasted, I'll be subjected to Mother's lecture number one hundred and forty-three…why gimps should not get each other drunk."

Ianto snorted.

"Look, I'm here every Tuesday and Thursday for the foreseeable future, so you up for another game Thursday afternoon?"

'_Yeah, and some more whiskey would be nice.'_

John held out his left hand and shook hands with Ianto. "Alright, see you then...wanker." Ianto smiled and rolled his eyes.


	17. Hope

SUMMARY: Ianto gets a surprise visitor.

This is chapter is rated M for sexual content and language. Everything consensual here, but it can be skipped without losing the thread of the story.

**_Chapter Title is from: Hope is a Waking Dream - Aristotle_**

Ianto was exhausted after spending the afternoon with John. He ate a little supper but was too tired to read or watch TV. He had another dose of pain medicine and was asleep by 9 PM.

Hours later, Ianto was woken by a noise. He listened quietly and was sure he could hear someone shuffling around his room. 'What the hell would anybody be in my room for? I don't have anything worth stealing, no one really knows me here, couldn't be aliens could it?' He was sure he could still hear the slight sound of someone moving a bit. His instinct was to demand to know who was in the room but realized that not being able to speak was going to make accomplishing that a little difficult.

He started to sit up to turn on a light next to his bed, when he heard a soft whisper. "Shhh." Ianto froze trying to figure out what was going on. He could hear quiet footsteps of someone walking towards him. He could just make out the form of the person approaching his bed. 'Shit, shit, I'm going to be murdered in my own bed…by a midget axe murderer.' The footsteps stopped at the side of the bed opposite where he was laying. Suddenly the covers were pulled back and someone was next to him in bed. Someone soft and warm, and smelling very nice. Not to mention naked! "Don't be frightened, it's Kelly, I thought you might be well enough for some company." Ianto was too startled to do anything.

"I thought you might be a little shy, but if you're not interested, I'll get dressed and go…no bad feelings, right." 'Don't go, don't go, don't go,' Ianto's mind was chanting. He reached out and touched her face, running his thumb across her cheek and down to her lips. She took his thumb into her mouth and sucked on it.

Ianto thought he might come right then. 'Crap, this is going to be over before we even get started.' Kelly reached down into his sweatpants and stroked Ianto. She realized how hard he was and how quickly he would probably come.

"Let's take care of this warm up act so you can really enjoy the main event." She pulled Ianto's sweatpants down off his hips as she continued to stroke his cock. It only took a few more strokes before he came over her hand. It wasn't a great orgasm, but hell he'd really needed it. Kelly got out of bed grabbed a towel and wiped the come off of her hand and Ianto's body.

"Now where were we?" She climbed back into bed. Ianto wrapped his left arm around her waist and pulled her close. 'Owen was right,' Ianto thought, 'she really is lovely.' She wasn't as thin as the women he usually was attracted to but she was gorgeously well-proportioned. Large firm breasts, rounded arse and he could see that she was a real red-head. "Oi, what you looking at, checking to make sure my hair color's real?" Ianto smiled and nodded.

"Cheeky bastard."

Ianto wanted to touch and kiss and lick every inch of her, but this proved to be nearly impossible given his lack of strength on his right side.

Kelly didn't seem upset by his somewhat clumsy foreplay, but finally pushed him down on his back and straddled his torso. "Why don't you just lie back and let me help you." Ianto didn't argue. She took his left hand, kissed it and began to move it across her body. Ianto's fingers stroked her hair, her neck, her breasts, down her stomach, up her thighs until he reached the thatch of hair between her legs. Ianto could feel the heat of her desire and shit she was wet.

"Fuck me with your fingers Ianto." He pushed two fingers inside her and she began to clench and release around them. Ianto moved them slowly inside Kelly and she bit back a moan. He rotated his hand so he could stroke her clit with his thumb. She continued to push her body down on his fingers, as she fondled her own breasts. Finally she stopped saying, "Getting too close; take them out but don't wipe them off, OK?"

Ianto nodded and followed her instructions. She slid off his body and admired his erection. "Well that didn't take long. And quite a nice packet if I do say." Ianto was glad the room was pretty dark, as he felt himself blush at her assessment. Kelly lined herself up over his cock and lowered herself down on him in one slow movement. She pulled herself up and plunged down harder. Ianto pushed up to meet her. "Ianto I want those fingers in my arse, can you do that?"

Ianto had never been asked by a girl for anything like this before. But he was more than willing and she certainly seemed to know what she liked. He smiled and reached around to Kelly's back and slid his hand down between her cheeks. Carefully he inserted one finger inside her and gently pushed it deeper. Kelly began to move faster up and down Ianto's cock and finger. "Put the other finger in me now." Ianto was happy to comply.

"Now fuck me hard." Kelly was undulating up and down his shaft and Ianto was pushing up into her as far as he could with both his cock and his fingers. She was still massaging her breasts as her movements reached a fevered pitch. Her head was thrown back and her long hair reached almost down to her arse. My god she was gorgeous; sweat covered, completely wanton and lustful and Ianto loved everything about her.

He could feel himself getting close to his climax but wanted to keep going forever like this. Kelly was moaning "come on fuck me, fuck me," as she continued to impale herself on him. He knew he wouldn't last much longer.

He could feel Kelly tighten around him and then she was coming, clenching him tightly inside her. The feel of her spasms pushed Ianto over. He gave a final thrust up into her and felt himself pulse into her. Waves of pleasure were coursing through his body; he surrendered to his climax and rode it to its end. Ianto smiled, that had felt amazing!

Kelly stayed on top of him until he began to soften and slip out of her. She pulled off him and gave him a kiss. "Did you like that?" Ianto nodded yes. "Yeah, I thought you might."

"You want me to visit again?" Ianto nodded vigorously. "Ok, I'll see you when I can. We'll have to wait for another quiet night without a lot of activity on the floor, but I promise I will be back."

Ianto reached up for her and she leaned back over him and gave him a deep kiss. He cupped his left hand behind her head to hold her close while he kissed her face with little light kisses to her eyelids and cheeks, and finally another deep long kiss to her mouth. Finally he moved his hand away and she got up from the bed and began to dress. "Ianto, you really are very special, you know. I've wanted you since the moment I saw you." As she opened the door, she looked back and smiled at him. "See you."

Ianto couldn't believe what had just happened. 'Hell, I'll be dreaming of green-eyed redheads now for sure.'

****

Ianto continued with his daily therapy, his twice weekly chess matches with John and his not frequent enough (in his opinion) trysts with Kelly. He woke up one morning following a particularly delicious night with Kelly and realized he felt different… content and almost happy.

The change in his mood didn't go unnoticed. His therapists noticed it, Martha noticed it and Saundra couldn't believe the improvement in Ianto's spirit.

"I know you were a bit put out when I asked you to visit Ianto, but you can see how much happier he is." Saundra held John's hands across the cafeteria table.

"I know I'm a very critical mother, but I'm so pleased with how things turned out. I don't know why, but having a friend near his own age has made a huge difference for him. Thank you, John. You really are a wonderful son."

John bit back a smile. He knew exactly why Ianto's mood was improved but wasn't going to share that information with anyone, let alone his mother.

"Well, I can't say it's all me, but he does seem better. I think a lot of it is due to the improvement in his hand coordination. He can see the progress and that he might end up having a fairly useable hand. And I am sorry I was so resistant at first. I just didn't want to hang out with anymore disabled people talking about our injuries. But Ianto's actually a nice guy, hardly ever complains; I think he sometimes forgets that communicating through texting isn't the way everyone talks."

"It's a shame he's got to go back to Cardiff. He'd make a great drinking buddy."

Saundra did her best not to react negatively to that comment. "Well the Brigadier's sons will be more than happy to help you out there."

"They're good guys, but Ianto's someone I could see having as a close friend. I always feel like Bryan and Stephen are so immature for their ages; Ianto seems more mature in many ways, more realistic about life, more focused. More like me."

Saundra nodded. "Witnessing death and destruction will do that to someone," she reflected.


	18. Progress

**PROGRESS**

SUMMARY: - Ianto receives a 'get out of jail card'

**_If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress - Barak Obama_**_**  
**__**________**_

A few days before Ianto's second surgery in late-October, Jack called his team together to review the progress they'd made on the UNIT review and Owen's 'to do' list.

"Gwen, you really are the 'Goddess of Paperwork.' We've got just about all the reports completed and only one has been returned by UNIT for more information. Tosh, where are we on the voice synthesizing software?"

Tosh explained that the number of programs available for translating text into voice was growing at an astounding rate. Many were downloadable to cell phones. "You're not going to believe it, but there are translators with fairly natural sounding voices. Not that Stephen Hawking robotic sound of a few years ago. I've found several suitable programs with Welsh accented English; I'm assuming he'd have a southern accent being from Cardiff. And I found two programs for translation of text to Welsh. I'd like to have Gwen check them out since I can't judge how accurate they are."

"Good. Owen and I have reviewed the floor plans for Ianto's flat and I've received approval for a medium sized one bedroom on the second floor. It's almost 800 square feet with hallways wide enough for a walker or wheelchair should one be needed. We thought a lower floor would be better just in case there's a problem with the elevators. Ok Gwen, what do we have for our furniture and soft goods estimates?"

Gwen explained that she had general estimates that she would refine now that the flat layout had been chosen. "I think we're looking at around 3,800 pounds for furniture if we keep things at a minimum." Jack winced. "That does include bedroom furniture, a sofa and chair and coffee table for the living room a computer desk and a small kitchen table and some chairs and lamps. I had to add in a couple of closet armoires since the loft space doesn't have any formal closet space. I'm estimating around 300 pounds for soft goods – bed linens, towels, area rugs, and kitchen and bathroom accessories."

Jack shook his head. "I have to admit, I had no idea that the cost would be so high. I'll have to use my considerable charm to get the funds from UNIT."

Tosh pointed out that living in a bunker in the Hub would tend to distort one's idea of the cost of furnishing an apartment.

"Well, you have a point, but I wonder if we couldn't get a discount from IKEA if we let them take photos of the flat as an example of an IKEA dream house." Everyone laughed. "Owen when will be need to have the flat ready for Mr. Jones?"

"I'm estimating sometime around the end of January, beginning of February. His second surgery is in three days, figure another six weeks of rehab and a week or so to transition."

"Assuming my meeting with his family goes OK, I'll be bringing him to Cardiff for Christmas. It'll be just for a few days, but enough time for him to see the flat so I'd like to have it pretty well complete by then. He'll also need to test the voice software as well as visit his family. And meet all of you. He'll be staying at my place for the visit, so that shouldn't entail anything else for you to do."

***

Ianto's second surgery was far shorter than his first. In just under three hours the surgeons were able to complete reconstructing his hand. Only time would tell the full extent of its mobility but Ianto found that within a week he could with some effort button and unbutton most clothes as well as tie his shoes. He had become fairly adept at shaving with his left hand and he thought he might just leave well enough alone.

Writing was a different story. While he was able to hold a pen properly, his handwriting with his right hand was even more illegible than his left. Ianto didn't seem bothered by this outcome. '_Hell, nobody actually writes anything anymore except for their signature. I reckon with some practice I'll be able to do that well enough.'_

John still stopped by twice a week and Kelly visited when she could, but Ianto found that he was getting impatient to leave the rehab facility. Saundra noticed his restlessness and decided that he needed another change in routine. And she had a big change in mind for Ianto.

Much to his surprise, Saundra showed up one evening with two men not much older than him. She introduced the Brigadier's sons Bryan and Stephen and like she did with John left them to get acquainted. Where John was serious and intense, the brothers were all about having a good time. They asked if Ianto wanted to go drinking with them that weekend. Ianto was keen to go but wasn't sure he could leave the facility.

Stephen smiled. "You just leave that to 'Aunt' Saundra, she'll bail you out of this place." Technically, you're staying with Father, but actually you'll be staying with one of us."

Ianto was puzzled by this but Bryan laughed and explained, "Hey if you pull, you don't want to have to take her home and introduce her to our father, do you?" Ianto was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen, but he could see the logic in their plans.

The next two weekends were spent with Bryan and Stephen. It was a lot like the old days with Charlie. Both men were of medium height and build with curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. Both were easygoing and fun to be with. But Bryan, the younger of the two, had much better luck with women than his older sibling.

As Bryan left the club with his newest lady friend, Stephen and Ianto laughed. "Well, he's two for two, and you and I are scoreless!"

'Y_eah the ladies are not entranced by my text messaging. Can't understand why. I'm a really good listener after all.'_

Stephen snorted. "Maybe next weekend we'll leave little Bryan on his own and try a few different clubs. But you have to swear you won't tell Bryan where we go."

That sounded fine to Ianto. They went back to Stephen's flat and smoked a couple of joints. Ianto felt wonderful.

"Hear you've been spending time with John. That must be a treat."

'_Actually he's a nice guy. Why don't you like him?'_

"Let's just say that he's an awfully straight arrow."

'_That wasn't my impression. He's pretty irreverent and he likes his whiskey…a lot.'_

Stephen snorted. "When I say straight I mean he's a total het, very intolerant of anyone who isn't."

Ianto wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but he really didn't know Stephen well enough for any personal discussions. _'And this is important to me, why?'_

"Oh come off it Ianto, I picked you up on my gaydar the minute I met you."

'_I think that must have been your bi-dar actually.'_

"Yeah, whatever. Just make sure he doesn't realize it, or you'll be out a friend."

'_Well, I'm not interested in sleeping with him, so it shouldn't be a problem.'_

"When I say intolerant, I mean he's hostile to anyone who doesn't believe in one woman/one man missionary position sex. Now maybe he'll make an exception for you, but I reckon you've had enough crap in your life, I just don't want you to be surprised."

'_I have to ask, how do you know this?'_

"Because we were mates until I came out as bi. Now he can't even stand to be in the same room as me."

Ianto felt his heart sink a little. Good thing, then that he would be going back to Cardiff soon, he didn't need a failed friendship to remember London by.

"Hey, don't look so glum…I'll be your friend."

'_You aren't hitting on me are you?'_

"You are very cute, but not my type really. You're too tall for one thing, and I like my men and women with dark hair and eyes and not with glow-in-the-dark white skin."

Ianto smirked, _'You're not my type either. I like them tall and blond.'_

"You should consider moving to Sweden. Gorgeous blond men and women."

'_So how's Bryan with your bi-ness?' _

"Bi-ness, that's not actually a word, is it? Anyway, he's het but couldn't care less what anyone else does.

'_And your father?'_

"That's an interesting question. Let's just say that he's mellowed with age."

***

The third weekend, Stephen picked him up at the rehab facility ready for a night of clubbing. They laughed when they saw each other. Both were dressed in black jeans and black T-shirts. Stephen had on a belt with a large silver buckle; Ianto went without and let his jeans sit lower on his hips.

"We look like we're a couple. We'll never pull at this rate."

Ianto opened his weekend duffle, pulled out a white T-shirt and quickly changed into it.

"That's a nice look for you, like you're half undressed already."

Ianto rolled his eyes.

They both had better luck that evening. Stephen hooked up early with a handsome older man who was visiting from Spain. He tossed the keys to his flat to Ianto and told him not to expect him until the morning.

Ianto spent the rest of the evening with a young man named Roger, who was a graduate student in chemistry and yes, was tall and blond. They had some serious snogging going on, but when closing time came Ianto was too nervous to go home with him or invite him back to Stephen's flat. Roger was disappointed but seemed to understand Ianto's uncertainty. He gave Ianto his cell number and told him to call if he wanted to get together during his remaining time in London.

'Shit, he was a nice guy. A little shy even; everything would have been fine. I'm smart enough not to get in over my head again. I've just got to use my brains, instead of my dick.'

And that, he realized was the biggest problem he had when it came to men. For some reason he seemed to be drawn to men with an edge about them, a little dangerous, a little unpredictable. Exactly who he shouldn't be with. Not a nice, low key guy like Roger. 'I hate not being in control and someone like Roger is really what I need. So why the hell do I always find myself drawn to the bad boys?'

Damned if he could figure that one out.


	19. Family

SUMMARY: - Owen meets Ianto's family, This chapter is rated PG for language .**  
****_Chapter Title is from :Happiness is having a large, loving, caring close-knit family in another city. - George Burns_**

**_________**

It was late November when Owen realized that he couldn't procrastinate any longer.

'Guess I better get this over with.' He had put off meeting with Ianto's sister as long as he could. Now that it looked like Ianto would be visiting at Christmas and relocating back to Cardiff within the next month or two, he knew he had to do this.

He called her during the week, explained that he was the medic overseeing Ianto's recovery and wanted to meet to update her on what was going on. She seemed hesitant, but Owen understood when she explained that she'd have to find someone to watch after her mother and kids first.

"Why don't I just stop over some evening? That way I can meet Ianto's mum and you don't have to be inconvenienced."

Rhiannon Davies sighed. Great, now some stranger, a doctor no less was going to be coming to her house. She couldn't wait to see him look around with disdain or even worse, pity. "Next Thursday OK? Johnny, my husband will be home that night and he might have some questions." She gave him directions to her home, and they agreed on 8 PM.

So Thursday it was. Owen snorted as he thought about the conversation. 'Husband's home Thursday's, probably out drinking every other night with the boys. Yeah, like I wouldn't be out drinking practically every night if I didn't have the Jones kid to worry about,' he acknowledged.

As he drove into the housing estate he could see that while it wasn't very new, it was in pretty good condition. Two stories with white siding and dark green trim, the units were identical except for some flower pots on the steps leading to the front door or the occasional wind chimes hanging from an entry light. The Davies house was at the end of a row of units. He parked his car (actually it was Gwen's car; thank goodness she let him borrow it, he knew he couldn't show up in his new Miata) and went up to the front door. He could hear some yelling from inside. 'Oh great, Thursday night at the fights has started already.'

Just as he was about to knock, the door flew open and two young children ran out laughing and yelling. "Put your shoes on before you go next door…." A woman about his age came to the doors. "Guess I was a little late on that suggestion. You must be Dr. Harper, come on in."

Owen went inside and Rhiannon introduced herself and her husband who was sitting on the sofa. She would have been pretty once, but time and worry had taken its toll. Owen thought she was only a few years older than Ianto, but she looked much older than him at that moment. At least much older than the pre-Canary Wharf Ianto.

She motioned for him to sit down on a faded lounge chair and then sat down on the sofa beside her husband. Johnny spoke first. "So Ianto's actually coming back to Cardiff. That should be interesting."

Rhiannon snorted. "Yeah guess he's not flying so high now is he?"

Owen held back a nasty retort. 'Don't let them bait you. They're upset and embarrassed.'

"Right," he said aloud. "Let me explain about Ianto's progress." He started to tell them about Ianto's rescue from Canary Wharf but was quickly interrupted by Johnny.

"So what exactly is Torchwood? Something like MI5?"

"Yeah, something like that, but it deals with external threats to the Crown. Or at least that was what it was set up to do. It now deals with all sorts of threats to the stability of the government as well as the Crown."

Rhiannon couldn't imagine her baby brother as some sort of secret agent. "I just can't see it. My brother isn't the James Bond type; I can't believe he'd be working someplace like that."

Owen laughed, "Well he did, but something a lot less mysterious or dangerous. He was an archivist; basically keeping records and information organized and filed. That's all."

"Ianto Jones, file clerk and secret assassin," quipped Johnny.

"Yep that about describes it. I know you are aware that Torchwood London was destroyed in a terrorist attack and that Ianto was one of only 27 people rescued from the attack. But I wanted you to know that there are only about half as many still alive six months later. Some succumbed to their injuries…others…uh...couldn't live with the horrors they experienced."

Both Rhiannon and Johnny looked shook up by that revelation.

Owen looked down to hide a thin smile thinking, 'good, now at least I've got your attention.' Owen went on to describe Ianto's rescue, injuries, surgeries, and prognosis. The Davies asked a lot of questions about Ianto's hand and he patiently explained the extensive rehab that Ianto still had to complete. "It looks like he was really lucky. He will be able to use the hand for the basics – feeding himself, dressing himself, picking up items as long as they are not too heavy. Whether he will be able to write is still dicey, but with all the electronic devices, especially text messaging, this isn't the disability it used to be. But I'm afraid any dreams he had of being a concert pianist are over." No one laughed.

"We're hoping he'll be able to find some type of work eventually, but Torchwood's covering his costs for the foreseeable future. We've picked out a flat to rent for him, modest but close to a bus line so he can get around independently. So you don't have to worry about taking care of him. We've got that covered."

Rhiannon's voice was shaking when she asked about Ianto's lack of speech. "He can't talk at all, like he forgot how, or he doesn't want to, I just don't understand."

"None of the medical experts do either. He probably suffered some type of nerve damage in the brain center where language is formed, but none of the brain scans have been able to find anything. He says that he can think of how to speak, but can't make it happen. Honestly, I'm not sure what that means. But I can tell you its not just being unable to make sounds, his lips don't move at all. He communicates with text messaging but that has its limitations. We're looking at other possibilities; there are programs that can convert written text to voice output, but we need to test them out and see if they'll work for him."

Rhiannon started to cry. "That's worse than mum, she can talk at least. Only Welsh, mind you, but at least she can say something."

"Is your mother here, now?"

"She's in the kitchen, didn't think she'd have much to add to the conversation. You don't speak Welsh do you?" Owen shook his head.

"Yeah, her mind's as sharp as a tack, but she's forgotten her English. Only spoke Welsh at home as a child you see."

"You'll tell her about Ianto, won't you?"

"I will, she's always asking about him…'where's my boy' she'll ask, practically every day since the stroke. She doesn't remember him leaving us and sayin' he'd never be back."

Johnny put his arm around Rhiannon as she started to cry again. "Please excuse the missus; she's overwhelmed with everything that's going on. I work two jobs and I'm away all day and most evenings too. Everything falls on her, the kids, her mum, the house; I don't know how she does it really."

Owen sat down next to Rhiannon. "It's OK for you to be angry. Ianto got opportunities you didn't and I'll bet the little brat just rubbed your nose in it. Yeah, I know something about that. Can I ask you; behind the kitchen is there a little space with a door that's too small to be good for anything but maybe a place to store a mop and some cleaning supplies?"

"Dr. Harper, that's the strangest thing to ask, but yes there is."

"Thought so. See I grew up in a housing estate like this South of London. Exactly like it, as a matter of fact. My mum and I could never figure out what that space was for. I know you noticed my posh accent. I'm another kid who did a runner when I had the chance, but I never got to make it up to my mum. It was just me and her and she died when I was in my second year of medical training."

Johnny had been watching Owen intently. He could tell that Owen wasn't telling tales and had had more than his share of sadness. 'Poor bloke, should get to know him better. After all he's taken the burden of Ianto off me and Rhi.'

"Listen Owen, when you come back with Ianto, he and Rhiannon can have a visit and you and I can go to the pub for a pint or two."

Owen smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that. I don't know the exact details, but I was hoping to bring Ianto to visit at Christmas. Do you think that would be OK?"

Rhiannon and Johnny were pleased with the idea. "It'll be the first Christmas since Mica was born that we're all together," Rhiannon explained. "The kids should get to know their Uncle Ianto; we're a small family and they don't have many other relatives."

Owen got up to leave and then remembered. "Sorry, I almost forgot, Ianto wrote out a message for you." He handed Rhiannon a small envelope. "He wrote it with his left hand, so I hope you'll be able to read it. Said it was private, so I have no idea what's in it."

Johnny and Rhiannon walked Owen to the door. Owen promised to call them once he knew exactly when Ianto would be returning to Cardiff. After Owen was gone, they returned to the sofa. Neither said anything for a while. Johnny shrugged, "Nice guy that Owen; I thought he'd be stuffy but he wasn't was he?"

"No, just a regular guy really. Seems like he's been a real friend to Ianto not just his doctor."

They sat again in silence until Rhiannon took a deep breath. "I'm really afraid to see what's in this envelope, Johnny. Guess I should just open it, shouldn't I?" Rhiannon carefully opened it up.

* * *

_**Rhi I'm Sorry. Love You**_

_**Tell Mum - Rwy'n dy garu di ****_

* * *

Rhiannon put her head against Johnny's shoulder and sobbed.

**I love you.


	20. Home

SUMMARY: Final preparations are made for Ianto's return to Cardif. Chapter 19 is rated - PG for language. **  
**

**_Title is from: Home is the place, that when you have to go _**there**_, they have to take you in. Robert Frost_**

_**

* * *

**_

"So I understand that you'll be bringing Ianto to Cardiff to spend Christmas with his family. Does he have any plans for New Years? Do you?"

Owen didn't have any plans and as far as he knew Ianto didn't either. The Brigadier was delighted and invited the two of them to spend New Years with his family.

"Ianto's already met my younger sons, but my oldest will be there as well. Martha and her fiancé, and Saundra and her son John will also be there along with other assorted relatives and friends. I think you'll both enjoy yourselves and I have a feeling that you may need an excuse for getting Ianto back to London."

Owen laughed. He had a feeling that once he got Rhiannon and Ianto in the same room, she wasn't going to want to let him go.

"Let me confirm with Ianto. But I think you're right. There's only so much fussing he'll be able to tolerate from his sister….actually his sister and brother-in-law are nice people. I think the reunion is not going to be as awkward as we were anticipating….no, I haven't forgotten about Jack and Ianto, but I have to be honest with you, I can keep their contact to a minimum, but they are both grown adults."

Owen listened to the Brigadier for a few moments and felt a bit relieved. "I'm glad you understand my dilemma...what we saw was, well…yeah, despicable would be a good way to describe it…but honestly, I have to believe there's something we don't know. Jack's known for seducing anything on two legs, and a few things with more or less than two legs, but I've never heard anything about him forcing someone…or being rough, uh…if you know what I mean." The Brigadier said he was willing to give Jack the benefit of the doubt…for the time being.

They spoke a bit more about Ianto's upcoming visit to Cardiff and agreed that they'd talk again about Ianto's final move after New Years.

*****

Owen texted the Brigadier's invitation to Ianto along with his thoughts about his visit to Cardiff. Ianto replied that he agreed with Owen's plans.

_'I already heard about the New Year's Party from Bryan and Stephen and told them I'll be there. But Owen, it's a fancy party, do you have my suits in storage in Cardiff?' _Owen did, and Ianto described for him which one he wanted to wear. Owen promised to have the suit ready for Ianto when he came to Cardiff for Christmas. Since Christmas at his sister's was casual he wouldn't need anything else.

"Hey, I'm picking you up Thursday mid-afternoon and we'll drive back to Cardiff. Get you settled in and then we'll spend Friday with Torchwood Three. We want to show you the flat we picked out and talk to you about some text to voice translation software we think you might be interested in. Saturday's open in case we forgot something, OK? We'll Spend Christmas Eve Sunday and Christmas Day on Monday with your mum and sister. Afraid I'll have to get you back to London on Boxing Day."

Owen and Ianto talked a bit about his rehab and how he was adjusting to his new circumstances.

_'They seem to be much better at managing pain medication. My hand doesn't hurt all the time and I feel less drugged during the day...It's been a lot nicer since I met John and Stephen and Bryan. Yeah, I've been out with Stephen and Bryan…yeah, Stephen and Bryan have had some luck…no, nothing for me…not complaining though.'_

"Are you still dreaming of green-eyed redheads?" Owen teased.

_'Let's just say that I'm doing more than dreaming…and don't ask me anything more, cause it's none of your business.'_

Owen smiled thinking, 'nothing like a good shag to make the world seem a little brighter.'

****

The week before Christmas Jack called the team together for a meeting.

"I finally have some good news. I've been informed that UNIT is closing their investigation of Torchwood Three with only a few minor corrective items for us to address. First, they would like us to make sure that we complete incident reports within 72 hours and develop a computer log to keep track of them."

Gwen laughed. 'Well, I know who's getting stuck with the report responsibility."

"Actually, I expect that everyone will complete their own reports, and that includes you Owen. Ok, ok, and me as well. Gwen you will be in charge of tracking reports and letting me know if someone isn't finishing them on time. And Tosh will be in charge of developing the report log. UNIT will be sending copies of the software they use for tracking and said we were free to modify it to suit our needs. They'll be spot checking reports for a while yet, so let's not screw up something relatively simple."

"They also want us to go back and log the incidents for the last two years, but they've given us six months to do that. It's a lot of reports, but now that our Goddess of Reports has everything in good order it's more of a data entry task than anything else. I'm still thinking about how best to get that done. I may end up asking if they've got an administrator with clearance that we could borrow for the task."

"Only other item is that we will have to inform them of any potential weaponry that comes through the rift. I don't whether they plan to take possession of the items, but they will want to come and look at them. We'll just have to see how it goes."

They moved on to Ianto's visit to Cardiff the following week. Gwen had purchased the furniture and Rhys and some of his friends had borrowed a truck from work and moved and assembled everything the previous week.

"I've got his stuff out of storage," Owen explained. "It's not much, some clothes, books and CDs and DVDs mostly, but I thought it would be nice to have some familiar items in the flat when he sees it for the first time."

Everyone agreed that personalizing the flat a bit was a good idea.

Tosh had seen to the installation of a phone, Ianto's computer and printer as well as a complete security system. "I took the liberty of updating his computer a bit. He'll find it a lot faster now. I also bought a left-handed mouse just in case he can't use his regular one. The security system is pretty basic, but I think he'll feel better having it. This is the first time he'll be really on his own in what, six months?"

Gwen spoke up looking a bit nervous. "I have one other thing I wanted to tell you about. I hope you don't mind but I know Ianto's going to be seeing his family for Christmas for the first time in some years, so I went ahead and bought some presents for his family, had them wrapped and everything."

Owen shook his head. "I didn't even think of that! That's brilliant, thanks for doing it."

Jack laughed. "So are you going to tell us what Ianto got for his family or do we have to guess?"

"Well you're paying for it, so I guess you should know. And don't ask me what it cost; I will use my divine goddess powers to bury it in some expense reports." I got sweaters for his sister and her husband, some hats and gloves for both kids, a Barbie My House Playset for Mica and a Lego Pirates Fort for David. And for his mother I got a wool shawl and some fancy tea.

"Just tell me you didn't get any awful Christmas jumpers with reindeers and snowflakes," Owen snarked."

"Actually they have dancing elves and naked Santas," Gwen retorted. "No, they are nice and practical. A navy cardigan for Rhiannon and a v-neck jumper in charcoal grey for her husband."

Something occurred to Owen. "I don't want anyone to feel obligated, but should we get Ianto a little something from us? Oi, that's stupid isn't it, everything is from us. Never mind, I'll just pick him up something practical from me…like a case of condoms."

Everyone laughed. "Actually," Jack said, "I was thinking the same thing…about a gift from us, not condoms. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of having Tosh pick something out for him."

All eyes turned to Tosh. "Well, when I was over at the flat working on setting up his computer, I noticed that his television was ancient. You know, one with those deep picture tube models. It wasn't even cable ready; must be at least 20 years old. So Jack had me buy him a flat screen model. I've got it set up with his DVD player so its all ready. I even put a nice red bow on it."

"You know," Jack interjected, "I'm the only one that hasn't actually seen the flat at all. Think the boss could get a showing before Mr. Jones comes to town?"

The rift had been quiet for several days, so they decided that they'd forward the rift alarm to Jack's cell phone and go over to Ianto's flat and give it the once over.

***

Jack was very impressed with the flat. It had nice big windows and was light and airy. Light oak floors, oak kitchen cabinets and pale yellow walls in the kitchen and taupe walls in the rest of the flat. The entrance opened directly into the main area of the flat. On the left side of the entry was a small kitchen, that had not only had the normal appliances but a small stacked washer and dryer. The kitchen space opened up directly into the lounge area which looked like it was around 300 square feet. The area nearest the kitchen was set up with a small table and chairs. A sitting area with the new couch and chair and small table was arranged to the right of the entryway on the opposite side. There was also a small entertainment center with the new flat screen TV (with its red bow), stereo/video equipment, and Ianto's CD's and DVD's. At the far right a small computer work area had been cleverly carved out using a low book case on one side to delineate the area.

The furniture was a nice light birch, very simple and plain. The couch and chair were covered in a black and taupe tweed fabric.

A hallway across the open space from the entryway led to a surprisingly large bathroom and a double bedroom. Gwen had already put a set of linens on the bed. They had color blocks of black, gray and burgundy with a matching comforter.

Jack was impressed. "Owen you were right. I was concerned that finding a flat with a bathroom that could accommodate a wheelchair if necessary was going to be impossible. But you actually could get one into this space if you had to."

Owen nodded. "Tosh and I came over one evening with a motorized chair we borrowed and made sure it could maneuver through the whole space. We did end up shifting the couch a bit more toward the wall so that it wouldn't block access to the computer desk."

Tosh laughed. "Well, we wouldn't have had to do that except that Owen kept running into the couch every time he tried to do a wheelie."

"Oi, I was just making sure there weren't any hazards for my patient." Tosh demonstrated the security system and they checked out the new TV.

Taking a final look around they agreed that it didn't look like they forgot anything. Owen felt like a huge weight had been lifted off him. "I just want to thank everyone; it looks great. And Gwen, a special thanks to you. This flat is just right for Ianto. Not frilly but also not dark and depressing. Hell, I'd live here."

Jack added, "Well if he doesn't like it, I'm moving in."

Owen smiled, but couldn't help thinking, 'what worries me is if he does like it and you still want to move in.'


	21. New Beginnings

**New Beginnings** This Chapter is rated PG for language **  
SUMMARY: - Ianto arrives back in Cardiff**

**_The chapter title is from: There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. Nelson Mandela_**

**_Authors Note:_** Sorry for not keeping on schedule with the posting - FF has been giving me grief the last two days. I finally found a way to post this. As always, your thoughtful comments and questions are always welcome.

* * *

Owen hadn't seen Ianto in almost three weeks when he picked him up to take him to Cardiff for Christmas. Ianto was still very thin, but had put on enough weight that he didn't look positively gaunt. He no longer needed a cane and Owen noticed that he walked at a good pace albeit a bit carefully. Most significant was the look on his face. The pain and frustration and the bone-tired weariness seemed to be gone replaced by a quiet serenity. He did seem older somehow, battle scarred but not broken.

But the smile he gave Owen as he got in the car showed that he still had a bit of the kid in him. He handed his phone to Owen. '_I got my permanent get-out-of-jail card today. The best Christmas gift ever! Aunt Saundra got it arranged for me. When I come back, I'll be staying with Stephen. I only have to go in for therapy three times a week. John's still going in Tuesdays and Thursdays so he'll pick me up on those days and Stephen will give me a ride on Fridays.'_

Owen raised an eyebrow at Ianto. "Aunt Saundra? When did you get to be on such personal terms with The Brigadier's attaché?"

'W_ell, that's what Stephen and Bryan call her…and she said I'm one of the family now.'_

"So what are you going to be doing with all your free time?"

_'It's not really free, I have activities I have to try and then let my therapist know how I did. I'll type out a list while you drive; this texting really has some limitations.'_

"Tosh is pretty pleased with some of the voice software she's found, but she wants you to have the final pick. She has samples from several different companies, they are all pretty natural sounding, but the accents differ a bit, and of course, none of us knows what you actually sound like. Even if it's not perfect, you could just restrict its use for situations like this or when you are with groups."

'_I'll bet one is Tom Jones…wonder if the ladies would like that?"_

"That would be great if you like older women. You could probably have a harem of grannies throwing their knickers at you."

_'Owen, that's too horrifying to even think about!'_

"Ok, no Tom Jones then. Can you work on your task list while I drive? There's too much traffic for me to be reading your texting now."

Ianto nodded and started to think what was on his list.

Ianto's List

_Go to the grocers. Get items off a list. Can't remember what they were, except for the 20 kg tub of cat litter. Hope someone has a cat cause I'll be damned if I'm taking it back._ _Do laundry at a public Laundromat. I guess to see if we can lift clothes in and out of a washer and dryer and handle coin slots._ _See if I can drive stick shift. Forward, reverse and parallel park._ _Type on a computer, use a cell phone, (I think I'll be getting a pass on that one, considering)._ _Take a bus ride and I think a train ride. Can't remember the destinations. _ _Sew on a button. Yeah that should be fun, and isn't that's what the dry cleaners is for?_ _They had one about kitchen appliances, but I made it clear that I don't own a blender or a mixer or anything like that, and I do think I'll be able to handle the all important microwave._ _I do have to see if I can open jars and cans. I think this could be the hardest one on the list. Not sure I have strength in either hand to do this. We'll just have to see. _

Ianto looked out the window as they drove to Cardiff. He remembered the day he took the train to London – a little more than five years earlier – to attend University. This was not exactly the triumphal homecoming he had hoped for.

He wondered what he was going to do with himself in Cardiff. He would still be going to therapy, but it was going to get awfully boring if he didn't have anything else to do.

'I'm sure there's something I could do at Torchwood Three, but Owen's not going to help me there. Maybe I could revive the project I had started on my own developing a software program to analyze data for predicting alien attacks. But with Torchwood One gone, it wouldn't have much use, would it? Maybe I'll just sit around and watch TV and be a bum…yeah that sounds like a possibility.'

They reached Owen's flat around dinner time.

"Let's get your stuff inside and then we'll go and have some dinner, Ok?"

Ianto looked around Owen's flat with envy. It was huge; two bedrooms and a den, and a waterfront view. After living in hospital rooms for most of the last six months, this seemed almost obscenely luxurious.

"No, your place isn't as big, but it's a really nice space and it's not too far from here. We're going to meet up with the rest of Torchwood tomorrow and go over there. There's just the four of us: me, Gwen who bought everything for your flat, Tosh – she set up all your electronics and installed a security system for you, and the Captain – who's picking up the bill."

Ianto looked puzzled. "Well, he keeps telling us that UNIT is going to pay for everything, but then why is the lease agreement in Jack's own name? Maybe he's going to bill it back to them, but none of us have seen any expense reports for the rent or furniture."

Owen realized that he shouldn't have said anything about this. 'Damn, I don't want Ianto to feel beholden to Jack, that's the last thing I need.'

He quickly corrected himself. "Well, Jack is terrible with reports; the biggest problem we had with our review by UNIT was that our reports were in disarray. I'll just follow up with Gwen so she makes sure they get done."

'Nice try,' thought Ianto. 'But why would he pay for my stuff himself? He doesn't know me…I don't think he does…maybe its getting charged back to an account he has with Parliament or The Queen.'

"Oh and I forgot, Rhys, that's Gwen's boyfriend, will be there as well. He and a couple of his friends picked up all your IKEA stuff and put it together."

They decided on pizza for dinner and headed out to a nearby restaurant. While they waited for their food, Owen reviewed Ianto's list.

"Yeah, I can see what they are doing. Making sure you can live independently, right? I don't want to disappoint you but you will not be using my new Miata for the driving test." Ianto frowned. "But Gwen has an old beat up Honda that I bet she'd let you use."

'_Hey, I'm a good driver, really I am!'_

"Have you driven since Canary Wharf?"

_'Well no, but…'_

"Let's amend that to you were a good driver. If you are worried about opening jars, don't kid yourself, the stick shift could be a problem as well. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, we'll just take it as it goes."

There wasn't much conversation as the two men ate dinner. Ianto didn't know if he was more nervous about seeing his family for the first time in five years or about meeting the staff of Torchwood Three, especially Captain Harkness. 'I can't believe I'm back here; I swore I was never coming back to this place…now I'm stuck here for who knows how long.'

Owen had his own concerns to think about. 'I just don't know if this is going to work. Are their any job opportunities for an information architect in Cardiff? I hope we're not forcing him on the dole by bringing him back here.'

When they did communicate, it was in short clipped conversation.

"Nervous about tomorrow?"

'_No, not really.'_

"Excited to see your new flat?"

_'I guess.'_

Owen wasn't happy with the answers he was getting. 'I hope Ianto's not this sullen tomorrow. I've gone through a lot of trouble, we've all gone through a lot of trouble making everything as nice as we can, I'll kill him if he's impolite to the staff or his sister.'

Ianto's mind was spinning. 'What if my sister doesn't really want to see me? What if mum doesn't know me? It's so hard to communicate with groups; how am I going to survive dinner with everyone from Torchwood? First Owen tells me to stay away from Captain Harkness, then he says I have to be nice to him, how the hell am I supposed to manage that? I feel like I have rats in my stomach just eating away at me.'

Owen became increasingly concerned as he watched Ianto eat. Or not eat, actually. He finished one slice of pizza but was just staring at his second slice. "Oi, you gonna eat anything or just keep pushing that piece around your plate."

_'Not hungry, really.'_

"Bollocks, what's going on?"

_'I'm really nervous, I don't even know why. It's like those dreams you have where you get to class and there's an exam and you realize that you haven't actually attended the class at all. Or you show up to a meeting….in your underwear!'_

"Classic performance anxiety. You need to relax. Your sister really wants to see you. Now you're probably gonna get hit with some waterworks; she did a fair amount of crying when I visited, but she's really not angry. Neither is Johnny. The kids don't know you…David might remember but Mica certainly won't. Did I tell you, Gwen bought some presents for you to bring for your family? And she got the hot kids' items for your niece and nephew."

_'Duw, I didn't even think about Christmas gifts!'_

"Gwen's good with stuff like that. So I'm sure whatever she got for everyone will be just fine."

_"And Mum?"_

"That'll be trickier. Remember, your Mum can only speak Welsh since her stroke. If Tosh's Welsh voice program works at all, I think we should work with it on Saturday so you can use it to talk to her. Gwen speaks fluent Welsh and she thought one program was quite good, and had a nice Cardiff dialect. You could text for your mum in Welsh, but I'm not sure how good her reading skills are."

_'And what about everyone at Torchwood? It's hard enough to text with one or two people, how am I going to text to five at once?'_

"Good question. I'll give Tosh a call when we get back to my flat and see if she has any ideas. If there's anyone who can figure that out, it will be her. But just relax; we're a pretty strange group ourselves. You're going to fit right in."

_'I'm not sure if I should say thanks for that last comment.'_

***

As promised, Owen called Tosh once they were home. He explained to her Ianto's concern about being able to manage a conversation with multiple participants. She thought that rather than have Ianto use one of the voice programs, which each had their own quirks and took a bit of practice, that they could set up an IM conference call on everyone's cells. That way anything Ianto texted would be seen by everyone simultaneously. Ianto seemed satisfied with that solution.

Owen began to check his voice mail while Ianto went to unpack. A few minutes later Owen shouted to Ianto, "Get over here, one of the messages is for you."

Ianto looked puzzled as Owen handed him the phone. Owen shrugged and walked toward the kitchen. "Just hit the messages key, it's the only one left on there now." Ianto couldn't see the smile on Owen's face as he walked away.

Ianto hit the message key and heard his sister's voice. "Owen, please make sure you let Ianto know how much we're looking forward to seeing him. Mum is just over the moon she's so happy. And the kids are very excited about meeting their Uncle Ianto, renowned international spy. Yeah, Johnny told the kids that as a joke and they believe it, so tell Ianto to get his best James Bond impression ready." Ianto smiled. "And Owen," she continued her voice breaking a bit, "let him know we all love him, and…we're glad he's home with us for Christmas."

Ianto couldn't see Owen watching him from the kitchen. When the call was finished, he shut off the phone and closed his eyes. He had a small smile on his face and a single tear rolled down his cheek. He sighed, wiped the tear away on his sleeve and visibly got his emotions in check. Ianto looked around to see where Owen had gone to.

Owen had moved further into the kitchen when he saw Ianto wiping his face so as not to embarrass him. "Hey, are you finished with that call yet; I'm in the kitchen."

Ianto walked over to the kitchen and looked in. "Everything OK?" Ianto nodded. He began to type on Owen's phone, laughed, shut it off, handed it back to Owen and pulled his own out. "Good idea. Some of us don't have the deluxe unlimited text package, you know."

'_Got anything to eat?' _Owen shook his head in mock disbelief and went to look into the refrigerator. Hmm...Not much there. The freezer had some ice cream which he offered to Ianto.

_'What kind is it?'_

"Looks like chocolate with almonds, OK?" Ianto smiled as Owen handed him the container. "Let me get you a bowl and a spoon." Ianto looked inside and saw that there was about a third of the tub left, so when Owen handed them to him, he put the bowl aside. "Oi, are you going to eat the whole thing?" Ianto nodded. "Well hand it over first so I can take a little for me. What's the world coming to when a man can't get any ice cream in his own bloody house?"

_'It's the fall of civilization as we know it.'_


	22. Revenge

**Revenge**

SUMMARY: - Ianto meets the staff of Torchwood 3. All is not going as planned

This chapter is rated PG-13 for language, a few sexual innuendos**  
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**_The title of this chapter is from: No more tears now; I will think about revenge. Mary, Queen of Scots_**

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**__At 9 AM on Friday Owen decided that Ianto really had to wake up. "Sleeping Beauty," Owen yelled as he knocked on the door to Ianto's bedroom, 'time to get up."_

Ianto wearing pajama bottoms and a T-shirt sleepily opened the door. _'What time is it?'_

"It's after nine. We're not meeting the others until around 2, but I want to take you out for a decent breakfast. Man cannot live by pizza and ice cream alone you know. So go get showered and ready. I'll be in the kitchen making coffee."

Ianto nodded and yawned.

About forty minutes later, Ianto appeared looking a bit frustrated. He was wearing a pair of navy corduroy pants, a light blue button down shirt and a blue patterned trainer. '_Shit Owen, I can't get the buttons done on the cuffs. They're too small.' _

Owen motioned him over and quickly buttoned the cuffs. "Don't you have any rugby shirts?"

Ianto grimaced. '_Remember we cut them up so I could get the soft cast through? Yeah, well considering we cut up the middle of the right sleeve, I don't think they're salvageable. Guess I should put buying some new shirts on the list for tomorrow. Oh, and a belt, cause until I gain some weight back, I don't want to risk having my trousers falling off me. Not that I'm not adorable in my boxers, I'm just not much of an exhibitionist.'_

Owen rolled his eyes. "While I'm sure that losing your pants would make you a hit with the Captain, you know I'd rather you didn't, especially when you're first meeting him."

Ianto smiled thinking, 'Oh I've got a much better surprise planned for Jack Harkness.' He saw that Owen was looking at him with a peculiar look on his face. He quickly put on a neutral expression. '_I'll start keeping a list of stuff I need to get.' _

"Well, that's what tomorrow's for. A little crazy to be doing it right before Christmas with the crowds and all, but we'll stick to the essentials. I'm sure you can bribe John or Stephen to take you shopping back in London after the holidays if you need additional clothes."

'_Owen, I'm still a little nervous being in crowded places, so let's only get stuff if we really have to. And can we skip the visit to Santa? Used to scare the crap out of me when I was a kid.'_

"I think we can skip the belt tomorrow as well. I'm thinner than you; why don't you borrow one of my belts and then you can get one in London at your convenience. I'll go get one for you now."

When he returned with the belt, Ianto immediately lifted his trainer and put it on. Owen was shocked to see how loose his trousers really were. He must have lost a lot more weight than Owen thought.

"Ianto, do you know how much weight you've lost since Canary Wharf?"

Ianto looked a bit embarrassed. _'I reckon I was around 82-83 kg* before. Last time I was weighed, I think I was around 62 kg**.'_

Owen winced. "We've got to get some of that weight back on you."

'_Well if I keep drinking and eating bar food when I'm out with Stephen, I don't think that's going to be a long term problem.'_

"Yeah, that would be the new doctor approved beer and fried food diet I've been reading about. Speaking of food, let's go get some breakfast."

***

Breakfast was uneventful, except for Owen trying to stuff twenty kilograms of food into Ianto at one sitting.

'_Owen, enough, please. I've already had juice, eggs, bacon, toast and pancakes. If I eat any more, you'll be getting this breakfast back all over the upholstery in your nice new Miata.'_

"Better not, or you'll be walking to your flat."

They still had a couple of hours to kill before meeting the rest of the Torchwood staff, so they headed back to Owen's apartment. Ianto was curious about what really went on at Torchwood Three, and Owen had received the OK from Jack to tell him about most of their activities. Owen told him about the rift, alien catching, and even about the vaults and their occupants.

'_You're shitting me! You do not have a weevil and a pterodactyl living at Torchwood Three!'_

"Yes we do. The weevil's name is Janet and we call the pterodactyl Myfwanny."

'_You are all stark raving mad! I think I'll fit in just fine.'_

'Think he's forgotten about the Captain's no Torchwood One employees working for Torchwood Three rule,' Owen mused. 'Still he seems pretty excited, which is a big improvement over sullen or nervous.'

They headed over to the flat and arrived a little before two. Everyone else was already there waiting in the lobby for them.

Ianto felt a little overwhelmed as he was introduced to everyone. Owen must have told them about his hand still being weak, because they looked startled when he reached out to shake their hands…with his right hand.

They all were staring at him, and he could sense them sizing him up. Gwen was broadcasting the loudest. She was looking at how thin he was and she kept thinking, 'that poor boy.' Rhys seemed to be trying to guess what Ianto's interests were; did he like football and going to pubs. Tosh, now she was interesting. She was radiating interest, sexual interest. In a sad, 'he's too young for me' kind of way. Owen was nervous that Ianto was going to embarrass him.

And Jack, well he hardly needed empathic ability to read Jack. Jack was looking him up and down and damn him, if he wasn't checking out his crotch. 'Oh yeah, Owen's just brought me the nicest Christmas present ever.' Ianto gave him his best 'shy' smile. 'Adorable.'

As Ianto turned away from Jack, he carefully put his own mental shielding in place while thinking, 'yeah, adorable like a baby crocodile. Just you wait.'

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jack frowning. Ianto began to think about other baby animals, puppies and kittens and bunnies and he could see Jack visibly relax.

Tosh asked to borrow Ianto's phone and set up everyone on an IM conference call. She typed in:

Tosh: _Is there anything you'd like to say before we go see your flat_?

Ianto: _I'm so nervous; I'm speechless at the moment._

Everyone laughed.

Owen: _Well, let's go take a look at your posh bachelor pad._

The elevator was a tight fit for the six of them but they all managed to squeeze in.

Ianto: _Rhys, get your hand off my thigh!_

Rhys: _Oi, that's not me, must be the Captain_.

Ianto: _From what I've heard, if it were him, he'd have his hand down my pants._

Tosh and Gwen both gasped before starting to giggle.

Jack: _Trust me, if I had my hands anywhere on you, you'd know it was me_.

Ianto: _Owen, Jack's hitting on me. Make him stop._

Owen: _Ianto, first I'm going to kill you and then I'm going after Jack._

Everyone was smiling as they got off the elevator at the second floor but Ianto could sense that Owen was pissed at him and Jack was intrigued.

Ianto really was speechless when he saw the flat. He stood just inside the doorway and just looked around. He'd never known anyone his age to have such a nice flat. It was even better than Stephen's! He realized that everyone was waiting for his reaction.

Ianto: _OMG! It's brilliant! Is this really for me?_

Ianto could feel everyone relax, thinking variations of 'thank goodness he likes it.'

He walked around slowly looking at everything carefully. The kitchen, the lounge with the little computer area and then headed into the bedroom with everyone following close behind.

Ianto: _Who picked all this stuff out?_

"That would be Gwen", Owen explained.

Ianto: _Gwen, you're a genius, how did you know my favorite colors_?

Gwen reached into the bedroom armoire. "Hmm…let's see, oh here is the suit you asked Owen to get out of storage for you." She held up a black suit with a dark burgundy shirt and gray and burgundy tie.

Ianto: _I_ _thought you had psychic powers for a moment there._

He walked over to Gwen and hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Rhys chuckled, "Watch it mate. That's my lovely lady you're kissing there."

As they headed back into the lounge area, Owen explained that Rhys and his friends had moved everything in and put all the furniture together. Ianto walked over to Rhys who held out his hand for Ianto. Ianto grabbed him in a bear hug and kissed him on the cheek.

Gwen smirked, "Watch it my friend. That's my handsome man you're kissing there.

Ianto shrugged and winked at them both. Owen just shook his head. "Tosh put in a security system for you and got your electronics all set. I think you'll find your computer runs quite a bit faster now. And I think you'll be very impressed with some of the voice software we're going to demo in a bit."

As Ianto walked over towards Tosh, she backed away laughing. "Oh no, no bear hugs from you."

Ianto: _I wouldn't dream of it…_

In a flash, Ianto had grabbed Tosh around the waist with his left arm, picked her up spun her around in a circle.

Ianto: _Tosh, I think I'm in love with you! Want to get married?_

Tosh turned as red as a beet but was still laughing. "Ianto, you are a naughty boy."

Ianto_: Oi, that's the line Dr. Martha used when she turned me down! There must be a secret script that beautiful women learn to get rid of unworthy men like me._

Owen interrupted. "All right, no mauling the staff now. There's one thing you didn't notice…take a look at your entertainment center." Ianto walked over and suddenly noticed the TV.

Ianto: _OMG! It's fantastic!_

"Well, Tosh picked it out, but it's really a gift from Captain Jack and everyone at Torchwood Three," Owen explained.

Ianto turned around to look at Jack. He walked over and held out his hand to shake Jack's. Jack smiled and grabbed Ianto into his own bear hug. "Happy Christmas Ianto; I hope, we all hope, that this Christmas will be a new and exciting beginning for you."

He loosened his hold on Ianto and much to everyone's surprise kissed him on the mouth. Not a deep kiss, but not a little peck either. Even Ianto looked stunned.

Owen was not happy with this development. "Hey, am I the only one who doesn't get a hug?"

Ianto actually looked relieved to be able to move away from Jack. He and Owen hugged.

"I just thought of something. Before we start testing the voice software, I'd like to have Ianto try that suit on. He's lost some weight and it might need some alterations. So if you could excuse us for just a moment…"

Tosh mentioned that if the alterations were minor, she could probably make them herself.

Ianto: _Hey make yourselves at home, it's on your tab after all – we'll be back_.

Owen and Ianto went into the bedroom. While Ianto was changing into his suit, Owen whispered to him, "Just be careful with Captain Harkness. You're being very flirty, which is getting him wound-up."

Ianto shot Owen a look of disbelief.

"Yes, you're a big boy, and I'm not your Tad, but really, don't start anything with him that you're not prepared to finish. Remember that lack of boundary control I told you about."

Ianto nodded.

"Ok then, let's see the suit."

Ianto looked mortified. The suit was way too large for him.

"Well, that's not going to work. I'm calling Tosh in OK?"

Owen went out into the lounge area and whispered, "The suit's a disaster. He's very upset. Please don't tease him about it." Out loud he said, "Tosh, would you mind taking a look at this, the suits a bit big and I'd like your opinion as to whether it can be altered or if we'd be better off buying a new one."

Tosh walked into the bedroom and had to bite back a smile. Ianto looked like a little kid dressed up in his father's clothing. She schooled her face into a serious demeanor and walked around Ianto.

"Honestly, I think you'd be better off buying a new suit. The alterations would have to be very extensive and they would probably throw off the whole line of the jacket. And since you should be gaining some weight in the next few months, it doesn't make sense to alter it until you see where you end up size-wise."

That made good sense to Owen. "What do you think, Ianto? Want to go suit shopping tomorrow?"

Without thinking, Ianto typed a reply.

Ianto: _Why get a new suit? I can just wear this and be the court jester at the party. My whole life is a fucking joke_.

He sat down on the bed and sighed.

Tosh looked like she was going to cry. "Ianto, please don't be so upset. It's just a suit after all. You can buy a new one tomorrow."

Ianto: _Tosh, I'm terrified of crowds and noise. I can't go into a department store two days before Christmas. I'll end up in a padded cell._

Everyone in the lounge area saw his response. Jack was a little amused. "Moody, isn't he. One minute he's thrilled about the flat, the next he's making a tragedy over a suit."

Gwen was furious. "Jack, don't you dare make fun of him. He's been in hospitals and rehab for almost six months. His life has been totally out of his control. It may seem like a small thing to you or me, but its just one of a hundred pieces of shite he's had to deal with. So cut him some slack."

Back in the bedroom, Owen was trying to keep Ianto from losing control. "Look, Ianto we'll figure something out. Don't let it ruin your day. Tosh why don't you go join the others and we'll be out in a few moments."

Tosh nodded and left the bedroom. When she got back to the lounge area Gwen peppered her with questions. Tosh realized what had happened and quickly had everyone turn off their cell phones so that Ianto wouldn't know that his comments had been seen by everyone.

Rhys got up and turned on the TV and cranked up the volume.

When Ianto and Owen came back into the lounge a few minutes later everyone was watching the most fascinating rerun of "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria."

"Oi, look at that John Barrowman. Is that not the poofiest haircut you've ever seen?" Rhys laughed.

"I don't know," Gwen replied, "it's not his best look, but its not that bad is it? Kind of looks like an old Beatles haircut. But what's with that shirt he's wearing? It does nothing for him."

Tosh jumped in too. "Well, I don't care about his hair; I'd shag him even if he were bald."

"Not me! Never found bald men to be attractive," Jack quipped. "Too shiny."

Ianto couldn't help smiling. They were all trying so hard, but they couldn't help broadcasting their feelings. Ianto wasn't surprised that Gwen and Tosh were busy trying to think of how to get a suit for him without him having to face the holiday crowds. Rhys surprisingly was mulling over Ianto's condition. 'Yeah, know how he feels…sometimes it's not the big things that get to you, it's the small stuff that makes you want to punch someone.'

And Jack…he was smirking inside. Ianto smoldered. Jack turned and looked at him. Ianto decided he didn't care if Jack could read him. 'So glad you think its funny you fuckin' bastard; laugh it up now, because you're gonna be crying later.' Jack stared at Ianto frowning. Ianto smiled and stared right back.

_*180-185 lbs_

_**152 lbs_


	23. Communication

SUMMARY: Ianto gets a new voice! Ianto lost the ability to speak after the Battle of Canary Wharf. Fortunately, Tosh has found him some text to voice translation software. But the team doesn't know what he sounded like prior to his injury.

Chapter 22 is rated PG-13 for language, a few sexual innuendos**  
**  
**_The problem with communication...is the illusion that it has been accomplished. George Bernard Shaw_**

_**Thank you for all the lovely comments. Don't be shy...let me know what you think.**_

* * *

As Jack and Ianto continued their stare down it became obvious to everyone else in the flat that something was going on between them. Gwen and Tosh reckoned there was some sort of seduction going on by Jack. Owen thought that Ianto was trying to seduce Jack. Rhys thought nothing of the kind. 'Ianto's pissed about something. Wonder if he overheard that remark Jack made earlier.'

Finally, Tosh couldn't stand the silent tension in the room. "I think we should take a look at, or rather a listen to the text to voice translation software." She went over to Ianto's computer and accessed several web sites. "These are commercial programs that can be purchased and downloaded over the internet. I thought we'd take a listen to them today. If you can't decide, I'll email the URLs to Owen's home computer and you can listen to them again at his flat."

Jack laughed and said that he wasn't sure that he'd be much help since all Welsh accents sounded the same to him. "I've got a couple of phone calls I need to make, so I'm just going to step into the bedroom and get them out of the way."

Tosh shrugged and went ahead and played the four voice packages for the group.

The first sample was supposed to have a northern accent, but it didn't seem to Ianto to be heavily accented at all. The voice had a nice cadence and was a little soft volume wise, which was much like his own voice.

Ianto: _That's not bad. I could live with that for sure._

The second sample was advertised as a Southern Welsh accent. It seemed to have a heavier accent but was still not bad.

Ianto: _That's funny. It sounds to me like the Northern one has less of a distinct accent. Maybe, cause I lived in London for 5 years its changed my perceptions._

Everyone agreed with Ianto. The Southern accent seemed a bit thick to them as well.

Sample three sounded odd to Ianto.

Ianto: _That's a little scary. It really has a close resemblance to my own voice - if I were trying to speak with a slight British accent. Not sure about that. Might be a bit too posh for me_.

And the fourth sample had everyone laughing.

Ianto: _Oi! It's Splott! Now that would be fun for going round to some of the rougher bars but don't think it would help me pick up a companion._

Rhys laughed. "Depends. If you favor the ladies in Splott, it would be perfect!"

Owen had to ask, "Hey Tosh, where's the Tom Jones recording? That way Ianto could pick up the old ladies from Splott."

Rhys got up and began to do his best imitation of Tom Jones singing 'Its Not Unusual.' Everyone groaned. Jack happened to return at that moment. "What is that terrible sound? Is there a cat in pain out here?"

"Watch it Harkness, you do not want to be insulting Sir Tom Jones better known as The Voice."

"No, I was insulting your poor imitation of Sir Tom Jones, The Voice, not Sir Tom himself. So, did you make a decision about which voice to use?"

Tosh shook her head 'no.' "I think we're down to two for consideration, right Ianto." Ianto nodded, but held up three fingers. "Ok, why don't I just send the links for the first three to Owen's computer, that way you can have another listen on your own. Just let me know what you decide and I'll take care of downloading your choice. And while we're here, if you give me your cell phone, I'll download the Welsh voice program. I could only find two and Gwen said one was much better."

"Yeah," Gwen quipped, "one had a very heavy Northern accent with expressions you'd never hear anyone saying around here. The second probably doesn't sound a whole lot like you, but the dialect is good and the speech is very natural. And since its mainly for your mum, I thought it would be easier for her to understand."

Ianto: _That's fine. I really appreciate you doing the research on this._

He handed his phone over to Tosh.

"Listen up", Jack said smiling. "I have a little announcement that I'd like to make. I did a little calling around and you, sir," he said nodding at Ianto, "have an appointment tomorrow at Clifton's for a private fitting for a new suit. I told them I had a friend that needed a little peace and quiet for shopping and they've agreed to open up early for us. Only down side is we have to be there at 8 AM."

Owen groaned. "Damn that's early."

"Hey I don't sleep much, so I thought I'd pick Ianto up at your place and take him over. I'm sure Ianto would like to see Torchwood Three so we can just meet everyone back there afterwards. After all, tomorrow is still a work day."

Owen couldn't see any harm in that. "That's fine with me. Just don't be buying him any 1940's retro clothes, OK? That OK with you Ianto?"

Ianto nodded, though he was looking at Jack a little puzzled. He realized that everyone was watching him so he turned back toward the group.

Jack pushed out with his thoughts. 'Sorry, I really am. Shouldn't have smirked at you. That was a shitty thing to do. Are we OK?'

Ianto nodded slightly, 'on this, yeah, we're OK, but not on other stuff, not really.'

Now it was Jack's turn to be puzzled.

***

They all hung out at Ianto's flat a while longer, talking about their plans for Christmas.

Rhys' mum was coming to spend the Christmas weekend and Gwen was less than thrilled.

"Oh, she's not that bad, Gwen," Rhys insisted, "yeah she's a bit nosy, ok, and a little controlling, and somewhat critical, but other than that she's a real sweetheart." Even Rhys had to laugh at his assessment.

"Yes, she's a wonder," snarked Gwen, "last year she turned up the fire on the duck cause she said we were all going to get salmonella poisoning and managed to burn it to a crisp. Then she spent the rest of the dinner commenting on my inability to cook anything without ruining it."

"She's right. Mum even started on about the flat being filthy until I pointed out that I had been in charge of cleaning. Then she started in on Gwen about how she shouldn't be working but should stay at home looking after me."

Gwen sighed. "I'm hoping this year will be a bit better. After all, Tosh and Jack will be joining us so that should provide some distraction."

Rhys warned Tosh, "Now don't be mad, but don't be surprised if my mother thinks you won't be able to speak English...she'll probably speak very slowly to you."

Tosh giggled, "Maybe I should pretend to not speak English and answer her in Japanese. Could be pretty funny."

"Yeah, until she starts making comments about the UK being invaded by foreigners or some other enlightened remarks," Gwen added.

"I guess that explains why I never cared much for Christmas." Everyone looked at Jack. "No really. You go and spend time with people you can't stand, and pretend you like them. Buy them presents you don't want to buy and they don't want to receive, drink too much, fight, hurt each other's feelings and then promise to do it all over again the next year."

No one knew quite what to say. Ianto looked especially troubled by Jack's statement. Not that Jack didn't have a point, but it was Christmas, after all. Owen shot Jack a look, then glanced over at Ianto.

Jack hadn't noticed Ianto's reaction to his comments. Owen wasn't kidding when he said Ianto was worried about seeing his family. "Sorry, now I'm sounding like Owen! Don't worry Gwen, I will flirt outrageously with Rhys' mum; she'll be much too busy fending me off to have time to criticize you. And I will bring some very nice wine so that if she is obnoxious, we'll all be too sloshed to care."

"And you," he said looking at Ianto, "stop looking so glum. You've got years before you'll have to worry about in-laws…and I have it on good authority that your family is very excited to see you. What was it Owen told me? Your niece and nephew think you work with James Bond or something?"

Owen smiled. "Yes, have you met Jones, Ianto Jones, information architect, secret assassin and international spy."

Ianto: _You forgot chick magnet!_

"Yes, so sorry. We'll need to buy you some 60's stuff to complete the Austin Powers look."

Ianto: _Just so long as you won't be getting me one of those naked cats!_

Rhys knew he was going to have hell to pay, but he couldn't resist. "Yes, Owen told me you've been getting a little pussy at UNIT already."

Ianto turned red.

Ianto: _Owen you didn't… I swear, I'll kill you!_

Owen grinned. "Ladies and gentlemen, there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that Ianto is getting attention from the loveliest sex goddess at UNIT rehab."

Gwen and Tosh tried to get Ianto to tell them about his 'lady friend' at UNIT, but he refused to discuss it. They finally gave up in a huff.

Ianto: _Whew, I successfully withstood intense interrogation by Torchwood Three. Now if they had threatened to shag me to death, I could have been persuaded to give up my secrets._

"We should get my mother to question him," Rhys laughed, "that would make him talk."

Ianto: _Rhys that would make me scream, and not with pleasure. Not to change the subject, but I'm starving. Anyone in the mood for some blackened duck, I mean chicken?_

They were surprised to see that it was almost 6 PM.

"How about that new Italian place we were talking about last week," Tosh suggested.

Everyone agreed on Italian. Jack had the SUV and suggested they drive together, but Gwen and Rhys as well as Owen didn't want to have to come back for their cars. So Tosh went with Jack, and the others drove separately to the restaurant.


	24. Valor

SUMMARY: Jack misbehaves at dinner with Ianto and the Torchwood Three staff. A post-dinner weevil chase ensues.

RATING: Chapter 23 - PG-13 for language, a few sexual innuendos**  
**  
**_Real valor consists of not being insensible to danger, but in being prompt to confront and disarm it. Sir Walter Scott_**_**  
**_It was only about a twenty minute drive to the restaurant. Owen reflected on the afternoon. 'I guess it went as well as could be expected. Ianto seemed to get on well with everyone, especially Rhys. It would be nice if they became mates. Rhys has a lot of friends and Ianto would probably fit in pretty well with them with their rugby obsessions and such.'

* * *

'But what the hell was that crap with Jack and Ianto? One minute I thought they might be kicking the shit out of each other, the next minute I catch Jack staring at Ianto's packet. And Ianto was bouncing between scorching anger and practically throwing him self at Jack.'

Ianto didn't pick up on what Owen was thinking, lost as he was in his own thoughts.

'I don't think he remembers me at all. Just one in a long line of anonymous fuck toys for him. I wonder if he even realized how much he scared me, or if he'd even care if he knew. I still don't understand what happened. Owen's right about boundary control. Guess once I said I'd give him a blow job, he didn't care that I wasn't OK with getting my faced fucked.'

'Part of me hates him for that but part of me is still attracted to the danger of him. And then today he's throwing out all this sexual energy at me, I'm surprised I didn't start snogging him in front of everyone. I've got to keep focused. I've waited too long for pay back. I so want to wind him up and then refuse him and insult him. Work him over and see how he likes it. I can't imagine anything that would hurt an ego-centric bastard like him more. But Owen's right, I've got to be careful, he really is dangerous.'

***

The restaurant was fairly quiet seeing that it was only a few days before Christmas. They were able to get a table in the back where no else was seated. This turned out to be a good thing as they became louder and more boisterous as the evening went on. The bottles of wine they consumed probably didn't hurt either. Ianto thought it was strange that the Captain had only one small glass of Chianti and then drank only water. Owen seemed to be moderating his consumption as well. Whatever, more for the rest of us, he thought.

The portions of pasta were enormous. Rhys thought you could probably feed a small Latin American country for a week with his lasagna. Ianto had eaten some of his meal but there was no way he was even going to be able to finish half of it. Gwen had snagged a seat next to him and kept trying to coax him to eat more. 'She's as bad as Owen,' Ianto thought as she started to try to feed him. 'I know she means well, but she is beginning to annoy me.' He already had a delightful buzz going, but drank down another glass of wine.

Ianto: _Gwen, if you are going to baby me, then I have to insist on the full treatment._

Gwen was pretty far gone herself. "Yeah and what exactly do you mean by that, my little boyo?"

Ianto: _Well, after you feed me, you'll have to give me a nice bath and powder my bottom, and then I'll need a nipple to suck on before I go to sleep._

There was a collective gasp before everyone started laughing hysterically.

Rhys actually sprayed a mouthful of wine all over himself. "Oi, watch it young man!" But he couldn't keep up the pretense of being angry and began to laugh again.

Ianto: _That's what you get for making nasty remarks about my lady friend at UNIT._

Jack was sitting on the other side of Ianto and grinned at him seductively. He reached over to Ianto's plate and picked up a piece of penne. He turned Ianto's face toward him and fed him the piece of pasta. "I'll take you up on that offer." He picked up another piece of pasta and fed it to Ianto. Everyone at the table watched the two of them transfixed.

"And when we're done here, I'll take you back to the Hub, give you a bath, and something nice to suck on."

Rhys, Gwen and Tosh were snickering nervously. Jack sat smirking at Ianto. Owen was appalled. He could see that Ianto had gone pale and was just staring at Jack.

Ianto couldn't believe that Jack was being so outrageous. He also couldn't believe how much he wanted to take him up on his offer. 'No, no, not part of the plan.' Ianto smiled slowly back at Jack.

Ianto: _Why Captain Harkness. What a nice offer. But don't you think you're a little old for me? Hell, you must be, what, in your mid-40s. I'm afraid that would be too much like sleeping with my Tad._

The tension broke as the rest of the table began to laugh again. Jack look more than a little miffed. Ianto lifted his chin a bit and gave Jack a toothy grin. 'That's a point to me, Captain,' he thought.

Owen was quietly snickering. 'Well done Ianto; you played that just right.'

Jack signaled the waiter for the check. "I'll take care of this. Why don't you all start home." He turned to Ianto shaking his head. "I have to confess, I'm not often hoisted by my own petard, but you're good, you really are. I'll pick you up around 7:45 tomorrow morning, OK?" Ianto nodded.

They all stumbled out to their cars. Owen seemed sober enough to drive but Ianto was a little concerned about Rhys and Gwen. He had ended the IM session so he could text just to Owen. '_Are they OK to get home?' _Owen shrugged.

As they drove back to Owen's flat neither of them felt like conversing. Both men were replaying the evening in their minds trying to figure out what exactly had transpired. Suddenly Owen's cell rang. Seeing it was Jack, he pulled over to take the call. "No we're not home yet. How many? Where? What about Gwen and Rhys? Guess they won't be much help, then. Ok, we'll meet you by the park."

Owen turned to Ianto. "There have been two weevils reported in a park not far from my flat. I'm driving over to meet Jack and Tosh and I don't have time to drop you off first. We will handle this. You will stay in the car. Do you understand me?" Ianto rolled his eyes.

"I'm not joking Ianto. They can rip you apart in seconds. Under no circumstances are you to get out of this car."

'_Where are Rhys and Gwen?'_

"The good news is that they are in no danger of getting into a car accident; the bad news is that they are not going to be able to help us. Apparently, Rhys dropped his car keys somewhere near the restaurant and they're still looking for them."

Owen drove to the park and began to scout the perimeter for the SUV. He spotted it and pulled up next to it. Jack threw cans of weevil spray and stun guns to Owen and Tosh and Owen grabbed what looked like a truncheon out the boot.

"Ianto, don't move from that car, do ya hear me?" Ianto nodded. The three others ran into the park.

Ianto had heard about weevils at Torchwood One, but had never seen one up close. 'What if they come back this way, could they get into the car? Maybe this isn't a good place to be, I don't have anything to protect myself with.'

He knew Owen would be angry, but he popped open the boot of the Miata and got out to see if he could find anything that could be used as a weapon.

'Great, a can of WD-40, some motor oil, rags, deicer spray…ah a wheel brace, that could be useful' He grabbed the brace, closed the boot and was just getting into the passenger side of the car when he heard shouting.

A weevil came running toward him with Tosh right behind. Tosh caught up to the weevil and hit it with her stun gun. The weevil went down. She never saw the second weevil close in on her from behind. Ianto was horrified as watched the weevil gaining on Tosh. Just as the weevil reached her, he took the brace and used it to smash a side mirror on the Miata. The weevil was distracted enough that he didn't hit her straight on. He knocked her down but his attention was now focused on Ianto. Unfortunately, Ianto couldn't shout either for help or to keep the weevil focused on him. Tosh wasn't moving, and the weevil looked at her and then Ianto as if deciding whether to go for a snack or try its luck on a meal.

'Oh fuck, its going to go back to Tosh.' He waved the brace at the creature, but it wasn't focusing on him. In desperation, he swung the brace and smashed out the passenger side window of the car. The weevil immediately turned its attention back to Ianto. Ianto could feel the hunger and fear in the weevil. Instinctively, Ianto made eye contract with it and barred his teeth. The weevil began to move toward him.

'OK, maybe not such a good idea…shit!' His back was against the car door and he realized that there was no way he could get away. The weevil was moving slowly toward him, assessing him. Ianto barred his teeth again hoping that the weevil would be intimidated. It wasn't. He gripped the brace in both his hands and moved away from the car far enough to give him room to swing it. He reckoned that would give him the best chance of delivering a stunning blow to the weevil. The weevil was almost close enough to touch. 'Wait, wait, you're only going to get one chance.'

The weevil lashed out. Ianto was able to partially deflect the blow as the brace hit the weevil's paw. The forward momentum of the weevil flung Ianto against the door of the car knocking the wind out of him. In the seconds while he waited for the killing blow he heard more shouting and shots being fired. The weevil seemed to explode and he felt himself falling…

Inexplicably, he found himself sitting on the ground next to the Miata covered with weevil guts. He looked around and saw Jack and Owen crouched around Tosh. He saw something next to his leg…it was the weevils arm. He felt a little faint, leaned over and vomited up most of his dinner. He continued to retch as he felt weevil remains dripping down his face. He leaned his head back against the car and tried to breathe. He saw Owen running toward him; Jack was right behind carrying Tosh.

Owen dropped down to his knees to get a look at Ianto. He quickly checked his pulse, looked in his eyes, and told him to take a few deep breaths. "Ianto, are you hurt?" Ianto shook his head 'no.'

Jack came up behind Owen. "I've got Tosh in the SUV. She seems stable except for a few bruised ribs and possibly a mild concussion, but take her to the hospital and have her checked out."

Owen was a little confused as to who was doing what. "Owen, don't space out on me, not now! Tosh is in the SUV. Use the lights and the siren and get her to Cardiff A&E. I'll take Ianto back to the Hub in your car and get him sorted. I don't think he's hurt, just shook up. Call me as soon as you know something. Leave your phone on in case Ianto takes a turn for the worse."

Owen got up and noticed his car for the first time. "Fuck. What about the weevil remains?"

Jack looked sympathetically at Owen. "Well between the broken window, and Ianto dripping weevil guts all over the upholstery, I don't think a few weevil limbs in the boot are going to make a whole lot of difference. Now get going."

Owen nodded and ran to the SUV. Jack watched as Owen drove off with Tosh, lights flashing and siren going full blast.

He crouched down by Ianto and wiped some of the slime off his face. He helped Ianto to his feet and pulled open the car door. The passenger seat was covered with glass. Jack brushed off what glass he could see, took off his coat and put it on the seat, sitting Ianto down on top of it. He buckled Ianto into the seatbelt.

Jack quickly gathered up as many pieces of the weevil as he could and then remembered about the stunned one back in the park. He looked at Ianto, and realized that he was too shook up to go anywhere. Jack ran back into the park and quickly located the other weevil. There was no way he was going to be able to bring the weevil to the Hub alive in the boot of the Miata. And he couldn't leave it in the park where it would undoubtedly be found by a citizen. Jack sighed. He pulled out his Webley and shot the weevil once in the head.

He picked up the weevil with some difficulty, and carried it back to the car where he dumped it in the boot. The weight of the creature made the car rock, but Ianto didn't react at all.

Jack got into the Miata and quickly looked at Ianto. He could see that his hands were shaking a bit and he was still very pale. 'Shit, hope he doesn't go shocky on me; that's all I need tonight.'


	25. Anger

SUMMARY: Jack takes Ianto back to the Hub to check out his injuries. Ianto is pissed off at Jack.

RATING: Chapter 24 - PG-13 for language  
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_**Anger is the most impotent of passions. It effects nothing it goes about, and hurts the one who is possessed by it more than the one against whom it is directed. Edward Hyde Clarendon**_

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Jack drove as quickly as he dared back to the Hub. With a broken mirror and window, and the Miata not registered in his name, he really wanted to avoid any interaction with the police. Ianto was shaking a little more visibly and his first priority was to get him cleaned up from the weevil and make sure he hadn't sustained any serious injuries.

He pulled the car into the lot near the Hub and helped Ianto out of the car. Ianto was trying to tell Jack something, signaling with his hands like he was pressing buttons…what? Jack finally understood. Ianto didn't have his phone. Fortunately a quick look around the passenger seat found it stuck between the seat and the stick shift.

Handing Ianto the phone he carefully guided him to the tourist office entrance. Jack unlocked the door and led Ianto to the entrance of the Hub. Ianto startled when the alarm sounded as the cog door rolled open. He swung around in fear knocking Jack off his feet. Since Jack was keeping Ianto in balance, this had the effect of tripping Ianto up as well. They landed in a heap on the cement floor.

"Well that was fun," Jack snarked as he helped Ianto to his feet. Ianto grimaced as he stood. "What's the matter?"

'_I think I hurt my back.'_

"Let's go down to the medical bay and I'll have a look." Surprisingly Ianto didn't put up a fuss or make a racy retort. 'Must really hurt if he's not reacting at all.'

"Can you get your trainer and shirt off so I can take a look at your back?" Ianto struggled to get the sweater off and then began to slowly unbutton his shirt. Jack was going to tease him about being shy, but he suddenly realized that it was taking all of Ianto's concentration just to undo the buttons. Ianto was frowning as he tried to get the tiny buttons on the cuffs undone. "Let me get those for you." Jack quickly unbuttoned both cuffs before Ianto had time to object.

'Shit, I had no idea how hard it would be for him to do that. Gwen was right, normal everyday living is a real struggle for him.' Ianto looked up at Jack, smiled a little embarrassedly and nodded.

"Now let's get the trousers off." Ianto shook his head 'no'.

"Ianto, I need to see if you're injured, I'm not hitting on you, I promise." Ianto hesitated for a moment then undid Owen's belt and his trousers fell down around his ankles. From the looseness of the trousers Jack could see that Ianto had lost a lot of weight, maybe as much as 30 to 40 pounds.

"Ok, I'll make this as brief as I can." True to his word, Jack gave him a quick look over, not seeing anything obvious other than a large bruise on his back. Ianto winced as Jack ran his fingers over it.

"Not sure what happened there, but that's a beauty. Still, its just surface bruising, doesn't look there's been any internal damage."

'_I think that's from when the weevil threw me against the car. It totally knocked the wind out of me. Ended up landing on my arse. And no, you can't check that out.'_

Jack sighed. He really should insist on it but was pretty sure that Ianto was trying to bait him into a fight. He located some mild pain-killers that Owen always kept on hand and gave two to Ianto. Ianto swallowed them dry and sat on the autopsy table staring off into space. "Ok, let's get you cleaned up."

Jack took him down to the showers. "I'll go get some towels and something for you to put on. I'll sit over there by the door so you can have some privacy but also so I can hear you if you hit the floor, OK?" Ianto nodded.

Ianto sat down on a wooden bench and struggled out of his shoes and socks, and boxers and walked over to the showers. He found he had to lean against the tile to stay upright, but managed to get cleaned up without help. Stepping out from the shower he found a couple of towels, sweatpants and a T-shirt sitting on the bench. The clothes were too large for him, but fortunately the pants had a drawstring waist so he was able to cinch it up securely.

Jack led him over to the old couch in the main area of the Hub. He moved a few of the cushions to make a pillow for Ianto and unfolded a musty blanket that was hanging over the right arm. "Sorry, it's the best I can do. I'd offer you my bed, but I think you'd be uncomfortable there."

'_You think? I know you're thinking more than that.' _

"I wasn't going to bring this up now, but we're going to have to talk about this empathic ability of yours… you don't really know how to control it, do you?" Ianto shook his head no.

"Well, even in the 51st century it's considered very rude to look into other people's thoughts without their consent. Have you always done that?"

'_Wasn't really aware of it until after Canary Wharf. Not sure why.'_

"Interesting. Could be the brain injury stimulated something to heighten your ability or could just be that without the distraction of speech it's allowed you to focus your attention on reading thoughts."

'_Whatever. I must say I'm surprised that you would have any issues over lack of consent.'_

"And then there's _that_ behavior. You're giddy one minute and then you're flinging your anger at me like a child throwing a tantrum."

'_Didn't Owen tell you? I'm just one big feedback loop. It's your mocking me that's pissing me off so much. You can't possibly understand how I feel.'_

"Oh believe me; I understand a lot better than you think. Buried alive, been there, done that…and for a lot longer than 30 hours. Pain? I was captured and tortured by the enemy everyday for three months until my troops were able to free me."

'_Well, bully for you. Yes, I'm just a pathetic mere mortal. No I'm not going to live forever, and if I wasn't such a wimp I'd have ended my sickening excuse for a life by now. Excuse me; I think I'd like you to leave me alone so I can wallow in self pity for a while.'_

"Oh stop it! I'm just trying to give you a perspective on your injuries. You're not that bad off, really."

'_Fuck you, Captain Harkness! I'm not really interested in your perspective on anything. I don't believe for one moment that you give a rat's arse about anyone's feelings other than your own.'_

"Shite, you are so filled with anger, its going to eat you alive!"

'_Too late, it already has. There's nothing left of me. I've lost everything; my health, my voice, my job, my best friend, my independence, my dreams, my goals, everything! All I have left is my hate and anger. Hate for Torchwood in general and you in particular.'_

Jack just stared at him.

'_Take a scan of me, you won't find a heart anywhere, just a cold piece of steel forged from the fires of Canary Wharf and hammered flat by a self-centered bastard named Captain Jack.'_

Jack couldn't believe what Ianto was saying. Ok, maybe he could be a little insensitive sometimes, but what the hell had he ever done to Ianto to deserve such a harsh assessment.

'_I want to sleep now, at least until the nightmares wake me up. I know, yours are much worse I'm sure, so I'll just suck it up and deal with it, OK?_'

"Fine. We're still going for that suit tomorrow."

'_Whatever.'_

Jack continued to ponder the mystery that was Ianto Jones as he removed the weevil parts from Owen's car. 'Guess this car will need more than a little detail work to put it right. And I have no idea what its going to take to put things right with Ianto. I did tease him a bit, and smirked over the suit, but I said I was sorry. What the hell does he want, flowers and candy for piss sake?'

Jack smiled to himself as he imagined Ianto's reaction to receiving flowers and candy from him. 'Bet I'd find a dozen roses stuffed down my throat…or maybe up my ass. When that kid is angry, it's downright scary. Maybe I should ask Owen….shit, I haven't heard from Owen.'

He quickly called Owen and found out that Tosh was staying overnight in the hospital under observation. She had several bruised ribs but the medics were more concerned about her mild concussion. Owen was starting on his way home and asked if he should stop by to pick up Ianto.

"No, he's asleep on the couch…yes I'm still planning on taking him for a suit tomorrow… he can wear something of mine. No I think he's OK, got a huge bruise on his back from where he was thrown against the car…no you really don't want to see your car tonight…yes Torchwood will pay for the repairs. I'll see you at the Hub tomorrow, around 10 AM or so. Yeah, g'night."

After Jack cleaned up the Miata as best he could, he took a quick shower and decided to tackle some paperwork that had piled up in his office. Periodically, he walked over to the windows looking down into the Hub and observed Ianto sleeping. He hadn't made much progress on the reports but had done a fair amount of thinking about what Ianto had said earlier.

'Bet he's mad because I won't give him a job. That's probably not unjustified. I don't have much work he'd be suited for, but he could do the data entry project. I wonder how I can put it to him so that he won't feel I'm asking him to do menial work. With Yvonne Hartmann dead, I think he's putting a lot of his anger from Canary Wharf on me, just like I've been reluctant to hire him because of his association of Torchwood One. Really not fair of either of us.'

When he looked out to check on Ianto a second time, another thought occurred to him. 'Wonder if he thinks I'm responsible for him having to come back to Cardiff. It sounds like he was just starting to make some friends and have some fun in London and we bring him back to Cardiff, the excitement capital of the western world.'

Jack realized that there were probably other issues that Ianto was dealing with that he wasn't aware of. He didn't know if Ianto still had a paycheck coming in or whether a settlement had been discussed with him yet. Did he have bills he couldn't pay? Things he needed or wanted but was too embarrassed to ask for?

The more Jack thought about it, the more he realized how little he knew about Ianto Jones. They'd all made a lot of assumptions about him. Some because they had to, but many if not most were made because it was easier to just make choices for Ianto and count on him being willing to go along with them. They picked where he was going to live, his flat, as well as his furniture. They even picked the sheets on his bed! They cut him off from his support network in London and were making him start completely over in Cardiff.

Why hadn't they thought to ask him what he wanted? He was sure that if Ianto had wanted to stay in London, he could have worked something out with the Brigadier. Even if it was technically Jack's responsibility, Hamilton would never refuse to help Ianto. And Owen had grown so close and over-protective of Ianto that he wouldn't realize that some of the decisions he was making for him weren't really in his best interest.

And then there was tonight with the weevils. How the hell had Ianto ended up tangling with a weevil? He wondered if there was any CCTV coverage of the park. He searched the security network and found one camera facing into the park and was able to see Ianto frantically trying to distract the weevil with, what… a wheel brace! Jack chuckled.

Ianto Jones was either the bravest or most foolish person he had met in a long time. But he was amazing nonetheless. 'He faced that weevil straight on and tried to stare it down. Never flinched, never wavered; put Tosh, someone he just met, ahead of his own safety. And I didn't even acknowledge what he did tonight. Well I didn't know, but he's not going to see it that way.'

Jack also had to acknowledge that he did play a game of one-upmanship with Ianto. 'I've suffered more; I've been hurt worse….what the hell's the matter with me. Talk about starting a pissing contest. I'm surprised that I didn't get out a measuring tape to prove who the bigger man was.'

'We're both feeding off each other's emotions; mostly anger and desire. I get the desire, oh yeah, I can't remember the last time I wanted someone as much as I want him. And if he's amplifying that, I can't honestly say I mind. But where the hell's the anger coming from? It's got to be looping the other direction…his anger at me is getting me pissed off at him. I've never heard of that before. He must have some unusual permutation of standard empathic ability.'

Anger and desire, Jack mused, could be a scorching combination. "Just got to watch out for the backdraft."


	26. Apology

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SUMMARY: Jack apologizes to Ianto the only way he knows how. Ianto accepts the 'apology'.

This chapter is rated** NC-17 for M/M sex. Do not read if this offends you.****  
**

_**Chapter title is from: Never ruin an apology with an excuse. Kimberly Johnson**_

Thank you again for all the lovely comments. Half the fun is chatting with all of you about what you think is going to happen next, what you like, don't like. So don't be shy, comments are always welcome.

**********Dialog conventions: "double quotes" = spoken word; 'single quotes' = thoughts by any character; _'single italic quotes' _= Ianto texting with speech synthesizer. **

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The next time Jack looked down into the Hub, Ianto wasn't on the couch. He ran down and frantically began to search for him. Where could he have gotten to? Jack sighed with relief when he heard a toilet being flushed a few moments later. Eyes half closed, Ianto shuffled back into the main area of the Hub. As he came dangerously close to tripping over some discarded pizza boxes, Jack moved over to help Ianto back onto the couch. Ianto made a half-hearted attempt to shake Jack off, but quickly gave up and let Jack guide him back.

Ianto lay back down on the couch and stared off into the distance. Jack sat on the floor leaning against the sofa with his left side. "Ianto, you are starting to scare the shit out of me. I know you're angry with me, but I'm not sure why. Is it because Owen told you I didn't want you to work at Torchwood Three?" Ianto nodded. "I'm so sorry, I was wrong about that. It's not fair to blame you for what happened. You've already paid far too heavy a price for just being there. I'll tell you what, I do have some work you could do, but honestly I'm almost embarrassed to offer it to you. Your education and skills are such that I'm afraid you'd be insulted by the offer."

_'What is it?' _

"UNIT wants us to set up an interactive data base on the cases we've had over the last two years. It's really more of a data entry task, and the software they sent us, according to Tosh is glitchy beyond belief."

_'Could I try to improve the software as part of the project?' _

"I don't see why not, they said we could modify the software to fit our needs. What do you think; would you be willing to help us with this project? I won't be angry if you don't want to do it, really I won't."

_'Yeah that would be OK...give me something to do at least.' _

"I'm guessing that you're also pissed because you have to come back to Cardiff."

Ianto looked at Jack and nodded more vigorously.

"We didn't think about what that would mean for you. At least I know I didn't. The Brigadier made that decision shortly after your rescue and we never stopped and revisited it as your recovery progressed. Easier for both of us to convince ourselves that it was the right choice than to re-examine our motives and heaven forbid ask you what you wanted."

_'It sucks big time. I just started to make some new friends and date a little and now I have to start over…again. Not being able to speak is having a huge impact on my life. Bigger than I thought it would. People find it creepy; they don't want to be seen with a gimp.' _

"I'm sorry." Jack could sense that Ianto was very uncomfortable talking about his life, let alone his feelings. '21st century men,' he thought, 'they are so closed off emotionally. Not allowed to cry, not allowed to show pain, not even allowed to talk about anything that bothers them. I'm sometimes amazed they can even get out of bed in the morning. Talk about the walking wounded….'

'Ianto really needs to get this stuff out in the open, but the only way he seems able to is by letting himself get out of control with anger. And that's dangerous for him and everyone around him.'

Jack couldn't help himself, he was a 51st century man after all, and he reacted to Ianto the only way he knew how. He got up from the floor and sat on the edge of the sofa. He took Ianto's damaged hand and inspected it carefully. The surgeons had done a remarkable job; he could see traces of scars running across much of the hand, but he had also seen how functional the hand was turning out to be. He thought back to discussions he had with Owen as to whether the hand would even be salvageable. Two of the joints had been pulverized practically into dust; all the doctors initially thought that even if the hand could be saved it wouldn't be very useful.

He looked straight at Ianto and kissed his palm lightly. "You're not a gimp, Ianto, you're a miracle."

"Look at all the things you can do with your hand," he continued as he kissed each finger tip.

"You can touch with your hand, (as he touched Ianto's fingers to his own lips), you can feel with your hand, (as he moved Ianto's fingers across his cheek), you can explore with your hand (as he moved Ianto's fingers carefully down his chest and stomach), You can even slap with your hand (he smiled as he moved Ianto's fingers lightly over his crotch.. and then suddenly lifted the hand to slap his own cheek) when Captain Jack gets too frisky."

Ianto couldn't help but smile. "You really are beautiful when you smile; a whole different person comes out. You can still have a real life Ianto…maybe not what you planned, but there isn't any reason you can't live and work and love again. And I promise I'll help you any way I can to get that life for you."

Ianto turned away from Jack to get a better sense of what was happening. He could feel Jack radiating concern, regret, and more than a little desire, but there wasn't any hint of deception or anger. As he let Jack's emotions wash over him, he realized that he was feeling more than a little desire as well.

He looked at Jack again, trying to decide what to do. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings with the teasing today. I know you're upset with me, but I sense it's more than just the job and coming to Cardiff…or even the teasing. Tell me what's wrong, OK? I won't be mad, no matter what you tell me."

Ianto shook his head 'no.' _'I can't, I just can't. I'm too confused.' _

"Please Ianto; let me do something for you. For whatever I've done, let me apologize the best way I can." Ianto could sense exactly what Jack was offering.

Jack smiled. "Will you let me suck you, I want to so much" he said as if it were the most romantic thing in the world. Ianto snorted, then swallowed hard and nodded his consent.

"Don't laugh, I'm offering you a Captain Jack's intergalactically renowned blow-job here. And if you aren't satisfied when I'm done, I'll give you your money back." He smiled wolfishly at Ianto. Ianto smiled back.

Jack stood up and looked over Ianto. He could see that Ianto was already tenting impressively. He leaned over and kissed the bulge as he carefully reached down to loosen Ianto's sweatpants. "Lift your hips a bit for me." He slid the pants down over Ianto's hips, down to his ankles and pulled them off completely. "Let me lie in between your legs; that way my weight won't be over your back."

Ianto was happy to comply. He couldn't believe that Jack was going to go down on him. He still tended to think of sex in conventional terms, and he saw Jack as a total Top. He'd have to rethink his… 'Duw!' Jack had taken almost his entire cock into his mouth. Jack pulled off him just as quickly.

"So glad you could be with us tonight, Mr. Jones," Jack snickered. Ianto smiled and closed his eyes. "That's good; less thinking, more feeling; you just focus on what you're feeling. I want you to enjoy every moment of this."

Jack wasn't kidding about his blow jobs. He loved sucking cock, particularly if it belonged to someone who was as young and as beautiful and as responsive as Ianto. Not to mention as generously endowed. He ran his tongue up the vein on the underside of Ianto's cock and took just head into his mouth. He sucked gently as his tongue teased over Ianto's slit. Ianto was writhing sensuously under him.

'Interesting,' Jack observed, Ianto didn't push straight up like most men would, he was rotating his hips a bit with each thrust, like he would if he were trying to stimulate a women's G-spot. While it wasn't doing much for Jack, he was delighted to see that Ianto knew how to do this. In Jack's experience most men never learned how to do much more than pound into a man or a woman. If Ianto had already mastered this, Jack knew he'd be a wonderful and enthusiastic lover. He couldn't wait to teach him some new tricks.

Jack stopped for a moment to get Ianto's attention. "I can tell that you really understand about giving pleasure to women." Ianto blushed. "Don't be embarrassed; it's wonderful that you know that at your age. But I wonder if you know that you can do something very similar to a man?" Ianto looked puzzled. "I'll take that to be a 'no.' I'll only do this if you want, but I can really intensify your pleasure by doing the same thing inside of you."

Jack felt Ianto tense up thinking… Jack smiled. "I'm not going to have sex with you. But, I'd like to put one finger in you…you won't believe how good it feels." Ianto thought for a moment, and smiled when he remembered Kelly and how that drove her wild. "Is that a smile I see? Is that a yes?" Ianto nodded. "Good man."

Jack lowered his mouth over Ianto cock once more. He didn't want Ianto to come too fast, so he kept the pressure light and confined him self to licking the head and the back of Ianto's cock. It didn't take long for Ianto to resume his gentle thrusting and rotating motion. Jack licked Ianto's balls as he coated his index finger with pre-come. He lifted Ianto's legs up and gently began to insert his finger into Ianto. "Relax, Ianto, or even my finger is going to hurt." Without warning Jack took Ianto's entire length into his mouth. Ianto threw his head back with pleasure. It was just the distraction that Jack needed to allow him to push his finger deeper into Ianto.

He waited until he felt Ianto relax a bit around him. Now Ianto was ready for a truly mind blowing blow job. Still enveloping Ianto's entire cock in his mouth, Jack began to suck with intensity. Ianto couldn't believe how amazing it felt. 'Fuck, I feel like I'm being sucked by a vacuum cleaner.' Jack began to move his finger inside Ianto brushing against his prostate. Ianto almost bucked himself off the sofa. Jack smiled and increased the suction on Ianto even more. Ianto was breathing heavily and increased the pace of his thrusts into Jack's mouth. Ianto could feel he was getting close but was helpless to warn Jack.

Jack could feel Ianto's cock swell in his mouth. He pushed his finger against Ianto's prostate while keeping up the suction on his cock. Jack could see that Ianto's head was still thrown back, his mouth open, and his eyes closed. Jack knew that if Ianto was capable of making sounds, he'd be moaning at least, maybe screaming. As it was, Jack could see from Ianto's facial expressions that he had brought Ianto to the perfect balance between pain and pleasure. He pushed harder against Ianto's prostate. Ianto bucked up a final time and came in Jack's mouth. Jack kept sucking and pushing until he had wrung every drop of come from Ianto. Finally, Ianto began to soften in his mouth and Jack pulled off him.

Ianto still had his eyes closed and was smiling. "So, did you like that?" Jack asked a little smugly. Ianto opened his eyes and Jack could see that he was a little teary-eyed. Ianto nodded and closed his eyes again. 'Yeah, looks like I got that just right. He's definitely one satisfied customer.'

Jack sat up and kneeled over Ianto's hips. "Ianto, look at me." Ianto opened his eyes but still looked a little dazed. "Can I give you a kiss?" Ianto began to shake with laughter. Jack felt a little hurt. "What's so funny about me wanting to kiss you?" Ianto was looking around for his phone. Jack pulled his out and handed to Ianto.

_'Let's see, you've just had my dick in your mouth, and your finger up my ass, and now you're asking permission to kiss me! Does that not seem just a bit odd to you?'_

Jack smiled. Ianto had a point. "Yeah, I know it seems crazy, but I want to make sure that anything that happens between us is done with your full understanding and consent. And that you know that you can say no at any time." Ianto couldn't help but reflect on the irony of Jack's behavior.

_'When did this become so important to you?_

Jack sighed, "I'm embarrassed to say that I had a really bad experience with this some time back."

_'You got hurt?' _

"Gods no, but I wish I had. I ended up hurting someone else. Too much alcohol, too much anger, someone promising more than he could deliver; a bad, bad combination."

Ianto felt a little sick.


	27. Confession

SUMMARY: Jack confesses to committing a sexual assault. This chapter is rated NC-17 for discussion of previously described noncon incident

_**Title is from: It is the confession, not the priest that gives us absolution. Oscar Wilde**__  
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Jack immediately noticed the change in the look on Ianto's face from pleasure to distaste. Jack slid his body under Ianto's, wrapped his arms around his chest and pulled him back so that Ianto's head was resting on Jack's shoulder.

"What's wrong? We were having such a nice time together. You don't feel guilty about it do you?"

'_A little.'_

"Why? We're both grown men. We both agreed. We both enjoyed it. So who else's business is it?"

'_Well, Owen thinks it's his.'_

"Yeah, protect you from dirty old Captain Jack, right? Because I might seduce you" he said as he kissed Ianto on the temple, "and make you feel good all over." Ianto nodded. "He really does care about you, but he's as bad as me and the Brigadier, assuming what you want without asking you. He seems to be turning into a mother hen, clucking everyone away from her chick."

Ianto snorted. _'Yeah, that's a pretty good description actually.'_

"But what else is wrong? There's something else, I can feel it."

'_Can't. It's all I've got left, now.' _

Jack wasn't stupid. Ianto had already said that all he had left was hate and anger at him, and by gods he was going to know what was making Ianto feel that way. He knew he couldn't force Ianto to tell him; he'd already asked a few times, but Ianto wasn't giving up this secret easily to anyone. 'It's really about trust, isn't it,' he thought. 'He doesn't trust that I won't be angry or upset or maybe even revolted by whatever he's holding inside. Maybe if I entrust a secret with him, he'll feel comfortable enough to tell me what's wrong.'

"Ianto, I want to share something with you. I don't know how you'll feel about me after I tell you, but you're the only one I can trust my secret to. It haunts me day and night. I want to put things right, but I don't know how I can possibly do that. Maybe you will have some ideas. Maybe you can tell me what I have to do to atone, to find forgiveness for what I did."

Ianto wasn't stupid either. He knew exactly what Jack was talking about. 'This could be sooo good, he thought. Let him tell his pathetic story, and then I can let him know who I am. Then what's he gonna do? Beg for forgiveness? Well, he'll get none from me. But better to play ignorant and see how he tries to justify himself.'

Ianto sighed. '_Is this about not being able to die? I already know about that. Not why, but that you can't.'_

"No, it's not that", Jack replied. "And actually I can die, I just can't stay dead. It happened when I was traveling with The Doctor and his companion Rose. I was killed and she used vortex energy to bring me back, but she used too much and now I can't die. Most people would think it was a great gift, but I'd do anything to be mortal again. Everyone I have loved, do love or will love will die before me, and I have no choice but to go on."

'_Does it hurt when you die?'_

"Oh yeah, some deaths are much more painful than others. Any type of death by violence is bad. Shooting isn't so bad, it's generally pretty quick with today's weapons. But drowning, suffocation and bleeding out have been the worst so far."

Ianto turned to look at Jack's face. 'So far?' he thought.

'_How many times have you died? Is that too personal to ask?'_

"Not really. I think its 46. I've been on earth over 100 years and I've been in several wars, a couple of armed conflicts and there's the odd weevil wound or other alien induced death."

'_Are you staying on earth forever?'_

"No. I'm waiting for The Doctor, yes the same Doctor from Torchwood One to show up. I missed him at Canary Wharf so now I have to wait until he has to refuel his Tardis at the rift. It should be soon. Days, weeks, months maybe, but in terms of my lifetime just a speck of time. I'm hoping that he'll know some way to fix me, make me mortal again."

'_But what about everyone at Torchwood Three? Do they know you're gonna run out on them at some point?'_

"No, and that's part of my secret so you can't tell anyone, even Owen. I'm just trying to get everyone as well prepared as I can before the Doctor arrives so that when I go, if I don't come back, they'll be able to carry on."

'_How is that part of your secret?'_

Jack took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Ok. Here goes. When I was with The Doctor he said several things about my immortality. Really hurtful things. I know he didn't say them to be cruel, he was frightened of me, but it made me feel like I wasn't even human. I've held those words in my heart against any type of emotional involvement with anyone on earth for the last hundred years. It's irrational, but hearing anyone call me those names, just enrages me. I didn't ask to be this way, and I'd gladly give up any remaining life to be free of it."

"A few months before Torchwood One was destroyed, I got called to a meeting in London with Yvonne Hartmann. It was a real dressing down. I had been trying to warn her about the dangers of her experimenting with the Ghost Shifts, but even I didn't understand the catastrophe that was unfolding. I had threatened to have The Doctor speak directly to The Queen and she was having none of it. She had her entire senior staff present when she went after me. Mostly petty threats and some name calling, but she used the same phrase The Doctor had, for a completely different reason obviously, and I lost it. I had to be physically restrained from going after her. I was sure I was going to be removed from running Torchwood Three after that. That why I broke all ties with Torchwood One."

"I was surprised she didn't detain me right there and then. When she let me go, I figured I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I went out that night drinking on my own. My 51st century physiology doesn't do well with 21st century liquor. I don't get drunk, just mean and nasty. Really mean and nasty."

Jack looked at Ianto. Why had he decided to tell this to him? There was no way Ianto was going to want anything to do with him once he knew. 'Maybe that's my penance, losing something I would cherish because of my behavior.'

"Ianto, this next part is pretty hard to hear. Are you sure you want to?" Ianto nodded, thinking 'it's not like I don't already know. But why am I feeling sorry for him then? I must be crazy.'

"There was a young kid in the bar. Not really a kid, but a young man …who was obviously very inexperienced so he seemed like a kid. I could see he was intrigued by me, older hot stud that I am," Jack quipped as he rolled his eyes. He saw Ianto holding back a bitter smile.

"So I went over and asked him if he'd give me a blow job. No seduction, no flirting just asked him straight out. Surprisingly, he said he would. I asked him if he would let me come down his throat and he nodded yes. I was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to do that, but that was OK, because then I'd have an excuse to hurt him. We went into an alley next to the bar and he was so nervous. I don't even know if he'd ever gone down on a man before. Maybe a little friendly exchange with a classmate, but, he wasn't very experienced or very good even at that."

Ianto closed his eyes with embarrassment. 'He sure got me on that one.' Jack noticed his discomfort. "Are you sure you want to hear the rest, you don't have to." Still keeping his eyes closed, Ianto nodded yes.

"Well, I let him suck me for a while, but I was barely able to maintain an erection. What can I say, too much teeth, almost no suction. I was so pissed off at the kid. Even if he wasn't able to deep throat me, how hard is it to give a half-way decent blow job? So I'm standing there, angry about the meeting and irritated at this kid and finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I forced him to take me down his throat and just hammered into him." Jack stopped as his voice began to shake.

'_So that made it OK? Cause the kid lied and was bad at oral sex?'_

"Hell no! I'm not excusing myself. It was wrong, I was wrong; I can say nothing in my defense that doesn't sound pathetic, twisted or both. I knew even before we started that he wasn't going to be able to give me what I wanted, how sick am I that I wanted to punish him for it? And how much worse am I that even when he struggled, I just kept going, justifying it by telling myself that he had consented."

'_Jack, that's pretty bad.'_

"Oh gods, but it gets worse. When I finished, I tried to give him money. Like if I paid him then it wouldn't matter that I hurt him. And shit, he was angry, really angry. He called me on it, said I knew full well he wasn't a rent boy. And then he called me the exact same name that Yvonne Hartmann and The Doctor had called me. I slapped him so hard, I'm still confounded that I didn't break his nose or an eye socket. The worst part, I was so angry I was going to kill him. I picked him up off the ground and had him pinned by his throat to the wall. My other hand was on my Webley, and I wanted him dead. Somehow at the last moment I was able to stop myself. I left him there and went back to my hotel room."

Ianto started to text, but Jack stopped him. "I'm almost finished. If I don't get this out now, I don't think I'll ever be able to." Ianto nodded and stopped typing. "I was relieved to find that my hotel room had a bathtub. I stripped and lay down in the tub." Jack swallowed. "And then I put the Webley to my head and shot my brains out."

Ianto turned over and stared at Jack. Jack was crying. The great Captain Harkness was crying. Sobbing!

'_Did it help?'_

"No! And it didn't help the second time I did it either! I couldn't believe what I had done to that poor kid. I still can't! I should have taken him back to my hotel and given him a night of pleasure. Shown him what to do and helped him build up his confidence. Instead I destroyed every bit of his self worth because I was hurting and selfish and wanted to punish someone for how I felt."

"I cleaned up the room, went back to the bar and looked for the young man. No one in the bar had ever seen him before. I went back again the next day before I left for Cardiff to see if he had shown up. I asked the bartender to keep an eye out for him and get his name if he could. If he had come back, I believe the bartender would have called. I promised a substantial amount of money for his name."

'_But why did you do that? Hadn't you done enough?' _Ianto asked.

"I wanted to apologize, to make it up to him some how." Ianto raised his eyebrows at Jacks. "I know, I know, it's insane, but I didn't know what to do. I had Tosh check area hospitals to see if anyone had checked in meeting his description but he must have not sought treatment. I told her I saw a kid being roughed up in an alley and I wanted to see if he was OK. Yeah, I saw it alright. Hell, I did it for piss sake! I've tried to remember what he looked like, but between the alcohol and two gun shots to the head I just can't. So there's no way to make it up to him, or apologize or do anything to make it right."

'_Jack, do you really think you could make it up to him somehow?'_

"There's only one way I could make it up to him. I could let him kill me. Torture me, mutilate me, kill me. As many times as he wanted. It would hurt, maybe a lot, but he couldn't kill me for good. I would offer him my life, but I can't offer him my death except temporarily."

'_You said you think about him all the time. Do you think about him killing you all the time? And what if you never find him? How can you ever resolve this?'_

"I knew you'd understand." Jack reached down to his boot and pulled out the biggest hunting knife Ianto had ever seen. Ianto sat up in fear. He started to get off the sofa when Jack handed him the knife. Ianto froze straddling Jack's body.

"I fantasize about it all the time. That he'll find me and take revenge on me. I don't even remember his name; I'm sure he told me, but its gone, completely gone. That he'll find me, cut his name into me so I'll never forget it and then watch me bleed out."

'_Oh god!' _Ianto thought he was going to faint, or maybe throw up, or maybe both. _'Its exactly what I've dreamed and planned to do to him all this time. How is this possible?' _

"Please Ianto. Do this for me. Do this for him. Carve your name into my body. Don't look so horrified. You know you can't really kill me. And I need this so much. Please, I'm begging you." Jack was sobbing again as he begged Ianto.

Ianto looked at the knife in his hand. 'This would be so easy. Jack wouldn't even know how much I wanted to do it.' He closed his eyes to steady his nerves when… 'No! If I do this, I'll be exactly what I called him. What The Doctor and Yvonne Hartmann must have called him. And I'm not, any more than Jack is."

He looked at Jack who was, in turn, staring at him intently. Ianto looked at the knife and placed it on Jack's chest shaking his head 'no.'

He unstraddled Jack, and got up off the sofa. As Jack watched he put on his sweatpants, typed something on his phone and placed it on Tosh's desk. He looked at Jack, nodded to his phone and hit the release on the cog door. He went up to the tourist office and exited out to the plaza.


	28. Forgiveness

SUMMARY: Jack asks for forgiveness. Will Ianto grant it? This chapter is rated PG-13 for language and discussion of sexual situations**  
**  
_The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi_

* * *

Jack stayed on the sofa another minute or so before sitting up. 'Well of course Ianto ran away from me, just like The Doctor. I'm totally repulsive.' Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to understand what had compelled him to tell Ianto about what he did to the unknown young man.

'I must be insane. Ianto's been traumatized already, and then I tell him that I sexually assaulted someone while he's lying naked with me. I don't even want to think about what that message he left me says.'

Jack sighed and walked over to Tosh's work station. He retrieved his phone and looked at the message.

'_Jack, you're not a Monster or a Freak. You did a terrible thing, but it seems to me that dying twice is punishment enough. At least it is for me. Keeping my hatred for you alive has been killing me, making me the Monster. So for my sake, not yours, I forgive you. Because I don't want to hurt this way anymore.'_

Confused, he read it a second time. 'How could Ianto possibly know what The Doctor and Yvonne...FUCK! Was it even possible?'

For a moment Jack actually thought he must be dreaming. A wave of dizziness hit him as he read the message a third time. No wonder Ianto was so angry at him; the only wonder left was why Ianto didn't take the opportunity to harm him when he had the chance.

It suddenly dawned on Jack that Ianto was outside the Hub in nothing more than sweatpants and a T-shirt, no shoes or socks or coat. He grabbed the blanket off the sofa and took the invisible lift up to the Plaza.

He looked around and was relieved when he saw Ianto was sitting on a bench nearby; bent forward with his hands covering his face, shaking violently. Jack thought he was crying and wasn't sure whether to approach him or not. As he began to move slowly towards him Ianto looked up and Jack could see that he wasn't crying at all, but shaking with cold. Jack ran over, sat down next to him and wrapped the blanket around Ianto.

Jack held out his cell phone to him. "Are you really him?"

Ianto nodded and pulled his own phone out. _'Yeah, it's me, Ianto Jones, international spy and winner of the intergalactic award for worst blow job ever.' _A single tear dripped down Ianto's face.

"Oh, Ianto," Jack sighed. Jack leaned over and kissed Ianto on the cheek, a little surprised that Ianto didn't pull away and more than a little surprised when Ianto closed his eyes and leaned his head against his shoulder. Ianto could sense the shame and regret Jack was feeling. Not to mention the desire radiating strongly from Jack for him. Jack could sense that Ianto felt inadequate and embarrassed along with conflicting feelings of lust and revulsion for Jack.

'_When did you start having your fantasies about letting me kill you?' _Jack looked at Ianto puzzled. '_No really, it's important; can you remember when they started?'_

Jack thought back. It wasn't right after the incident, he was sure of that. He had been too focused on trying to just find out the identity of the young man at the bar. Suddenly it hit him. "Ianto, this is getting stranger by the minute. I'm pretty sure the first time I thought about letting him, I mean you, harm me was…uh, at the search for survivors at Canary Wharf."

'_Can you be more specific?'_

"Let me think for a minute." Jack mentally ran through the events of those few days but couldn't pinpoint the exact time. He knew it wasn't before he and Owen arrived at Canary Wharf but it was definitely before they met with The Brigadier to learn Ianto's identity. It was after he saw the partially converted bodies being readied for the families. It was after Owen had detected the S.O.S. tapping. It was…

"Ianto, I'm pretty sure that it was when the paramedics had just freed you from the archives and were putting you on the backboard." Given Jack's earlier assessment of Ianto's peculiar twist on empathic ability, everything fell neatly into place.

"Ianto, were you thinking about hurting me at that moment?" Ianto nodded.

"Yeah, that's it. Remember when you said earlier tonight it was my anger that was making you mad? Back at your flat, I was pretty sure that the feedback loop, as you called it, was working in the other direction…your anger was actually getting me pissed off. I must have picked up on your feelings at Canary Wharf and then expanded them on my own."

Ianto began to cry. '_No it's more than that. I wasn't fully conscious, but I remember hearing your voice and thinking that you were somehow responsible for the Cyberman and the Daleks. The agony I was feeling at that moment somehow got fused in my mind with the pain of the night you…uh, hurt me. I then started imagining punishing and killing you. Jack, I thought about doing to you exactly what you described. Cutting my name into you over and over while you screamed for mercy. Watching you die, and revive and then killing you again. It's been playing in my head like an endless tape loop ever since that day. Oh god, I've become the Monster.'_

Jack saw that Ianto had tears running down his face. He took Ianto in his arms and held him close, rocking him gently. Jack took a corner of the blanket and gently wiped Ianto's tears away. Ianto looked at Jack and saw that he was crying as well. He turned in Jack's arms to wrap his own arms around Jack's and held him tight.

Ianto wasn't sure but he thought he must have dozed off for a few moments. The next thing he was aware of was that he had resumed shaking. '_Jack I'm freezing, can we go back inside?'_

"Crap, you must be! Owen will kill me if you catch pneumonia."

Jack scooped Ianto up into his arms and ran to the invisible lift. Ianto was not happy about this. _'Dammit, put me down, I am not some damsel in distress!'_

Jack hit a button on his wrist band and the lift began to descend. He put Ianto down on his feet but held his shoulders to keep him in balance. "Just shut up will you," Jack retorted.

Ianto and Jack looked at each other. "Reverse feedback loop." Ianto nodded.

Ianto was still shaking with cold when they stepped off the lift. Jack led him through the Hub and up into Jack's office. He motioned Ianto over to the entrance to his sleeping quarters.

"Think you can make it down that ladder?" Ianto looked puzzled. "It's where I sleep; it'll be warmer and more comfortable there." Jack started down the ladder and held out a hand to help Ianto down. Ianto hesitated for just a moment, then shrugged and followed him down the ladder.

Jack quickly pulled back the covers on his bed and got Ianto to sit down on it. He grabbed Ianto's legs to move them onto the bed. "Shit, your feet are like blocks of ice." Jack began to rub his feet vigorously. Once he felt Ianto's feet thaw, he swung his legs onto the bed and pulled the covers up. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Well, its 4 AM, but that still gives you two to three hours more to sleep. I'll be up in my office so just ring me on my cell if you need anything."

Ianto was still conflicted about his feelings for Jack. But right then, he was focused on how cold he still felt and how nice another warm body would be next to him. He looked around for his cell phone but didn't see it.

"Right, sorry about that…here's mine." Jack pulled the cell phone out of a trouser pocket. Ianto's message was still on the phone. Jack swallowed heavily as he read the message one more time. "I'm so sorry Ianto, really I am. When I first met you today, I was so hoping that we could have some fun together. I can't see how that's possible now."

Ianto motioned for the phone. '_I'm sorry too. I knew who you were that night in the bar. I really was attracted to you, but I have to admit that part of my saying yes was for bragging rights.'_

Jack looked astonished. Then he laughed. "What, are you telling me that you agreed to give me a blow job so that you could tell your friends that you had gone down on me?"

Ianto looked at Jack and nodded. Then realizing how ridiculous he sounded he smiled as well. '_Yeah, thought I'd even get a T-shirt. You know, something that read…***I Gave Head to Harkness!***'_

Jack snorted. "Oh Ianto, that's…"

'_Sick and twisted? Pathetic?'_

"Well, strange even by Torchwood standards. Would you really have told your friends about it?"

'_Yeah. You had quite a reputation at Torchwood One. Intergalactic stud-muffin, biggest dick in town…oops, didn't mean that quite the way it came out, it definitely would have enhanced my profile.'_

"You're adorable, you really are. Not as adorable as baby bunnies or kittens but much more adorable than a baby crocodile."

Ianto turned bright red. '_Shit…'_

"Surprise, I'm empathic too – not nearly as much as you are, but really, pushing those images out...that was way over the top."

Ianto turned away from Jack in embarrassment.

"Now stop that, I'm just teasing you again. It's a sign of affection."

'_Teasing is a hostile act.'_

"No it isn't."

'_Yes it is!'_

"Is not!"

_'Is too!' _

Without thinking Jack grabbed Ianto and began to tickle him. "Is not, is not, is not." Suddenly he realized that Ianto was struggling with him. He let Ianto go and moved away, horrified by what he had done.

Ianto looked at him shaking with laughter. '_You should be ashamed of yourself! Tickling a poor defenseless ticklish man like me. That's not playing fair.'_

Jack looked relieved. "OK – before this gets out of hand, I'm going…"

_'I'm still freezing and if you don't get under the covers right now and hold me so I can warm up and go back to sleep, you're going to be taking a very cranky Ianto to buy a suit tomorrow.'_

"You mean you can be even crankier?"

Ianto rolled his eyes, handed Jack the phone, turned away, and pulled the covers around him. '_I really need to sleep.'_

"OK, guess play time's over." Still fully clothed, Jack got into bed and spooned against Ianto's back pulling him close. Ianto sighed and Jack could feel him begin to relax against him. In less than ten minutes Ianto was sleeping soundly.

Jack wasn't sure if he would sleep or not, but he closed his eyes and focused on the comfortable feeling of Ianto's body pressed against him.

'This has to be one of the craziest days I've ever experienced. Where the hell do we go from here?'


	29. Pleasure

SUMMARY: Jack & Ianto share a pleasurable morning. This chapter is rated Mature for explicit sex.**  
**__

_**Title is from: Pleasure is the object, duty and goal of all rational creatures. Voltaire**_Jack dozed a bit but never fell fully asleep. Mostly he watched Ianto sleep marveling at the circumstances that had brought them together. He still couldn't believe that Ianto had actually forgiven him; but he must have, Jack reasoned as he didn't take advantage of Jack's offer of the knife.

* * *

'He could have gone ahead and pretended to give in to my request. There's no way I would have known he had been planning the exact same thing himself all along.'

And now this beautiful young man was in his bed, deep in sleep with a small smile on his face. How could Ianto trust him with his safety? Once again, Jack couldn't decide if Ianto was brave, foolish, amazing or maybe all three at once. He sighed. Even if Ianto had 'wiped the slate clean' so to speak, they would have to proceed very carefully.

Jack knew that he had to be mindful that Ianto was going to be the one controlling the pace of their relationship. It had to be that way in order to insure Ianto's safety and consent. He couldn't bear the thought that he could inadvertently harm Ianto emotionally or physically again.

And he really needed to make sure that Ianto understood that he didn't do monogamy…and that Ianto didn't have to either. He would be respectful of Ianto's feelings and certainly not advertise his other activities, but he had no intention of committing himself to one person.

Jack knew he would make Ianto the center of his attentions, but he had some very dark kinks that needed tending to – kinks that he instinctively knew would horrify and disgust Ianto. Ianto's reaction to Jack's request tonight demonstrated that he wasn't going to be enthusiastic about any sexual activity that included knives or blood play. Maybe a little bondage or spanking but not torture or autoeroticism. And sometimes, when Jack visualized his life stretching out to infinity he found he needed something to ground him to the here and now; real pain and humiliation to let him know that he was alive.

And lastly there was the issue of his immortality and The Doctor. Jack had waited over 100 years for The Doctor, hoping that he could be cured of his endless life. There wasn't anything or anyone, even Ianto, who would prevent him from going with The Doctor when he finally returned to the Earth. Jack had no idea if he would be able to or even want to come back to 21st century Earth once he left.

***

It was a little after 6 AM when Ianto began to stir. Jack watched as he rolled over toward him and noticed that Ianto had what he affectionately thought of as a 'morning stiffy.' Not that Jack wasn't sporting one of his own. Jack laughed, they made quite a pair; Hard and Harkness, he mused.

Ianto's eyes fluttered open and he smiled a little when he saw Jack.

"How are you this morning?" Jack whispered as he leaned over and kissed the top of Ianto's head. Ianto had no idea where his phone was so he put his hand together next to his face and closed his eyes.

"Charades! I just love this game. Let's see, you're saying that you're tired."

Ianto pretended to clap his hands for the correct answer. "Oh, and that must be the sign for wanting Captain Jack's personal attentions." Ianto's eyes flew open to see Jack pointing to his erection. He began to turn away in embarrassment, when Jack stopped him.

"Hey, look, I got a stiffy too!" Ianto raised an eyebrow at Jack but didn't take his gaze off Jack's crotch. "I have an idea for another game we can play. It's called 'shower wank.' Wanna try it?"

Ianto was doing his best to hold back a smile, but there was something about Jack, especially when he was trying to be earnest and funny that Ianto found irresistible. He pretended to think about it for a moment and then grinned at Jack nodding 'yes.'

Jack pulled Ianto over for a kiss. Ianto pushed Jack away looking disgusted. Jack was confused and asked frantically, "What did I do, what did I do now?"

Ianto couldn't think of how to mime the problem so he did his button pressing routine again. "Hang on; there must be a phone around here somewhere." Jack located Ianto's phone and handed it to him.

Ianto typed out his distress. '_You may have 51__st__ century pheromones, but you have 21__st__ century morning breath to go along with it.'_

Jack snorted. "Ok, I can take a hint, first teeth brushing, then shower wank."

They headed over to the shower area taking clothes with them. Jack picked out the smallest shirt and trousers he owned for Ianto; they would be still be too large, but hopefully not unmanageable. Underwear, well Ianto was going to have to be a briefs man for the day.

They quickly got undressed and into the shower room. Jack was kissing Ianto's face and neck as he squeezed some shower gel into his hands. He methodically rubbed the shower gel over Ianto's shoulders and chest, down his back and over his arse. Skipping down, Jack washed Ianto's legs and then focused his attention on his crotch. Jack gently washed Ianto's erect cock as well as his balls, massaging them gently. Ianto was holding onto Jack's shoulders and was breathing heavily. Jack quickly washed himself as he continued to kiss Ianto lightly. Just as they were finishing rinsing off and before Ianto could register what was happening, Jack had Ianto pressed against the tile wall next to the shower and was kissing him senseless. His tongue was thrust inside Ianto's mouth and Ianto sucked on it enthusiastically. They finally had to break the kiss to catch their breaths.

Jack was grinding against Ianto who was pushing back with equal force. Ianto was more turned on than he could ever remember. Jack was kissing his eyes, his cheeks; then he was sucking on an earlobe, now he was sucking on his neck. Ianto's breath was becoming a little more ragged with every touch and lick and nip from Jack. Jack continued down Ianto's body, sucking on his left nipple and tweaking his right. Ianto jerked at the feel of Jack's teeth gently playing with the left nipple some more.

Jack ran his hands over Ianto's sides telling Ianto how much he wanted him. "Ianto, its been decades since I've wanted someone the way I want you." Jack's hands moved between them and grabbed both their cocks. Ianto began to thrust into Jack's hands, Jack matching his own thrusts to Ianto's rhythm. Ianto had his eyes closed and was leaning with his head and hands against the wall.

Jack could feel Ianto's cock swell a bit and pulled his hands away. Ianto squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. Jack snickered. "Ianto open your eyes and look at me." Ianto complied to find that Jack was on his knees nuzzling the curls surrounding Ianto's cock. "Gods, Ianto, you have no idea what you do to me." Jack took Ianto's cock into his mouth and sucked it from the tip to its root. Ianto was a little worried about hurting Jack and tried to minimize his thrusts.

"Ianto don't worry about hurting me, I've had over a hundred years of practice. I want you to drive that dick of yours down my throat as hard as you can." Ianto looked a little uncomfortable, and Jack realized that maybe he hadn't approached his request quite right.

"I'm not asking you to do this as punishment to me, but as pleasure for us both. I want this, I need this Ianto, just let yourself go and fuck me into tomorrow." Jack took Ianto's cock into his mouth and Ianto began to thrust gently in. He looked at the pleading look on Jack's face and began to move a little quicker, a little deeper. Jack groaned with pleasure. He pushed out with his thoughts, 'that's it, take control, let me be your bitch.'

Ianto picked up the pace of his thrusts. Jack began to suck in earnest. Ianto's hands were running through Jack's hair and he continued to increase his speed as he plunged deeper into Jack's mouth. Jack relaxed his throat muscles; Ianto fisted Jack's hair and now had his entire length pistoning in and out of Jack's mouth. As he felt Ianto swell in his mouth; Jack grabbed his arse and pulled Ianto into him as deep as he could. Ianto came so hard his feet buckled under him. Jack caught Ianto at his waist and lowered him to the shower room floor while sucking out the last of Ianto's come.

Jack lay next to Ianto with one leg thrown over his hip and pulled him up into a deep kiss. Ianto was flushed and he felt completely undone. He moaned as he felt Jack rubbing his leg between his thighs. He also felt that Jack was still hard. He sat up and nodded toward Jack's erection. "Don't worry about me; I'll just finish this off."

Ianto shook his head 'no.' He pushed Jack over on his back and began to stroke his shaft. Jack closed his eyes, groaned and pushed into Ianto's fist. Ianto stroked Jack adding a little twist to the motion. Jack couldn't believe that Ianto was working him so expertly. Suddenly, Jack felt Ianto's hand leave him and…oh god, his tongue was teasing the slit of Jack's cock.

Jack's eyes flew open. "Ianto, don't try to take me too deep; I'm pretty close, so if you just suck on the head, it'll be fine…and, uh, you don't have to swallow if you don't want to." Ianto smiled. He may have been a novice at their first encounter, but if nothing else, Ianto prided himself on being a very quick learner.

He took Jack's head into his mouth and began to suck lightly, pausing occasionally to move his tongue around the base of the head. As Jack had done, he licked the vein at the back of Jack's cock before returning to sucking the head with a little more pressure. Ianto eased more of Jack's cock into his mouth and began to suck as hard as he could. Jack was thrusting up, but Ianto was able to keep the penetration at a comfortable depth. It felt exquisite. "Oh gods, Ianto, this feels amazing." Jack was astonished at how confident Ianto was going down on him. Jack's thrusts quickened and he could feel his whole body tightening as he reached his climax. "Shit, Ianto, I'm gonna come."

Ianto cradled Jack balls and squeezed lightly. Jack couldn't hold back and with a final thrust he came into Ianto's mouth. Ianto didn't move away and did the best he could to swallow Jack's come. He was a little sloppy, but Jack smiled at how well Ianto had done. He pulled Ianto's face up to his and licked away a little come that had dripped from the corner of Ianto's mouth. "Thank you Ianto, that was wonderful." He cupped Ianto's face in his hands and pulled him into another scorching kiss. Jack sighed. "As much as I'd like to keep going here, we better get dressed and get breakfast so we're not late for your appointment at Clifton's.

Jack took a towel and stuck it under the shower for a moment and cleaned up himself and Ianto. Jack pulled Ianto's lips to his and kissed him again. "You are so beautiful Ianto; you make me feel things that I thought I couldn't feel anymore." Ianto sighed.

They were still kissing as they walked over to where they had put their clothes earlier. Ianto noticed a pile of clothes, his clothes, that hadn't been there before. He looked up and saw Owen leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest glaring at them both.


	30. Truce

SUMMARY: Owen catches Jack & Ianto in the act and is not a happy camper. This chapter is rated M for language and sexual references**  
**

_**TRUCE, n. Friendship - Devil's Dictionary. Ambrose Bierce**_

Pictures of Ianto's suits can be viewed at my **Homepage. ****Artwork is identified by chapter name - in this case TRUCE. **

(I've disabled comments on the Homepage, but feel free to add any comments about the pictures here)

* * *

Ianto froze and stared at Owen. Jack stood slightly behind him and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. Ianto could sense that Owen was furious.

"You are fuckin' unbelievable Ianto; I ask one favor of you and you can't even keep your word to me for two days." Ianto looked down at the floor in embarrassment.

"And you, Captain, have got a lot of nerve! What did you do? Hit him with your 51st century pheromones? It must be nice having your own personal date rape drug."

"Owen…" Jack hissed through gritted teeth, "You're stepping over the line."

"I'm stepping over the line? Oi, that's a good one. I'm not the one who fucked Ianto's face and then tried to pay him off, you rat-arsed bastard!"

Ianto looked up at Owen shocked and horrified.

"Didn't you realize who he was? Captain Casanova Harkness is the man who assaulted you behind that bar in London!"

Ianto looked like he was going to cry. "Ok, Ok, I'm sorry I yelled at you; don't be upset Ianto, it's not your fault, you couldn't have known."

Ianto turned away from Owen and began to get dressed.

"And you," Owen snarled, pointing at Jack, "cannot even begin to imagine how badly you've fucked yourself up this time. When The Brigadier hears about this, you'll be lucky if you don't find yourself spending the next few years in a UNIT prison cell!"

As the men continued to argue Ianto finished dressing and left the shower area. Neither man noticed.

"Owen, I swear if you don't shut up right now, you're going to be in a pine box six feet underground. What, did you spy on Ianto and not even have the decency to discuss it with him? Have you asked him how he feels about me? Do you know whether he knew who I was before we were together today?"

"Don't you dare try to put the blame on him Jack, that's low, even for you."

"This isn't about blame, it's about Ianto's wants and needs and feelings. And none of us, not you, not me, not The Brigadier have ever really stopped to consider what's best for Ianto."

"Fine then let's ask Ianto…" Both men realized that Ianto was no longer in the locker room.

"You are going to be sorry if your anger has caused any harm to Ianto," Jack growled as he ran for the stairs. Owen wanted to punch Jack senseless but figured it could wait until they found Ianto. He ran after Jack back into the main part of the Hub.

They found Ianto on the sofa typing madly on his Blackberry. Owen began to speak "Look Ianto…"

Ianto looked up at Owen and Jack. They could see from his reddened face that he was angry. His teeth were clenched and he was breathing heavily, his nostrils flaring. He wasn't just angry, he was enraged. He stared at them both, pointed at them and then his phone and then at them again. Jack understood. "Ok, calm down we'll get our phones and you can IM us."

They pulled some chairs over by the sofa and got their phones out. Once they had their phones set up, Ianto sent them what he had been typing.

Ianto: _As you read this, do me the courtesy of NOT saying anything. I'm so pissed off that, at the moment, I could cheerfully strangle you both._

_I'm taking charge because both of you are treating me like I'm either a child or invisible. And I'm fucking sick of it!_

_Owen, I'm a grown man, 24 years old. I don't need a parent or a guardian. I need a friend, maybe an older brother. You've taken wonderful care of me, I'm truly grateful. But you're smothering me and I'm becoming angry and resentful toward you. You want to give advice, fine. But I make the final decisions for me._

_I've always known who Jack is. As I explained to Jack, I wanted to be with him because of who he was as well as that I was attracted to him. Jack and I have sorted out what happened that night and we've settled it. To both our satisfactions, I think. It doesn't really matter whether you think it's a good idea for me to see him, Owen –that's between me and Jack._

_And as for coming back to Cardiff...what the hell were you both thinking? Especially you Jack. Is it some sort of punishment? What am I supposed to do with myself here? Great, you've offered me a little work logging your reports – but how long is that going to take, a couple of months maybe? What the fuck am I going to do with my time? How can I support myself? I really don't want to be on the Torchwood dole the rest of my life. _

_Jack– I'll be setting some ground rules for our seeing each other. If you don't like them, then we won't be seeing each other in any other capacity than professional. And if you ever violate those rules or you ever do anything like what you did that night to me again, whether you're drunk, angry, psychotic, whatever, we're done. Completely. No second chances. _

Owen and Jack couldn't deny that Ianto was right. He really didn't need to be babied. He was ready to start a new life and they kept throwing up obstacles toward that goal. They each nodded at Ianto to indicate they had finished reading.

_Ianto: Owen - how the hell do you know about Jack and me in London? Why are you making threats about talking to The Brigadier?_

Owen looked at Ianto and Ianto motioned for him to speak. Owen explained to Ianto about the CCTV tapes and The Brigadier's reaction to them and to Jack's behavior. And his demand that Owen inform him of any physical encounter between Ianto and Jack.

Ianto was livid.

Ianto: _How dare you! How dare he!_

Owen interrupted. "Ianto, he was trying to look out for you. Now maybe we both went about it the wrong way, but everyone really had your best interests at heart."

Ianto snorted.

Ianto: _So you are telling me that you are supposed to call The Brigadier and say what? 'Oh hello, Brigadier Hamilton, just thought I'd call you up to let you know that I happened to see Ianto go down on Captain Jack. Yes, yes, I didn't see him gagging, so I think they should be alright. No, I don't think they've fucked each other's arses yet, but I'll give you a ring when that happens."_

_YOU ARE FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!!_

Jack and Owen both burst out laughing. Owen shuddered. "You've got a point, what the hell would I say to him? Yes its hard to believe Brigadier, but Captain Jack isn't always a Top. I swear I saw it with my own eyes."

All three of them were laughing. Jack quipped, "Please, let's keep that our little secret Owen; I have my reputation to think of."

Jack was worrying about one thing. "Seriously Owen, if you don't tell him and he finds out, we're both going to be hot water."

Ianto: _I will speak to The Brigadier myself. Owen, stop looking so worried. I will handle it. And no one will be in trouble not you or Jack or me. Don't look at me like that. I know a lot more about why he feels the way he does, so do me a favor and stay out of it._

Owen snorted, "What the hell do you know about The Brigadier that we don't?"

_Ianto: How about that one of his sons, Stephen is bi? Yeah, surprised aren't you? Don't you dare roll your eyes at me Owen; I didn't sleep with him or anything. Not my type._

"Oi, not tall, blond and leggy I guess," Owen snarked.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean," Jack asked indignantly.

Ianto: _Thanks Owen, you're a pal. Jack, I was in my tall, blond stage when those CCTV tapes were pulled. But I think, Owen you'll recall telling me that I should expand my preferences some. So I have. They now include a certain red-headed Irish lady and a tall, older dark-haired man._

Jack smiled, "Hey, can I arrange for a private viewing of these tapes?"

"No!" Owen replied and Ianto typed simultaneously.

Ianto:_ Sorry to have to table this conversation about my incredible sexcapades, but it's almost 7:30 AM, so if we're going to get me a suit, we need to get moving. Because there is no way I can go anywhere without a cup of coffee. …And Owen, thanks for the clothes._

"Bet you hadn't even considered how you were going to get to Clifton's since I had the SUV. Yeah, like they say, no good deed goes unpunished. Talk about a rude awakening. I'm going to be having nightmares from you two."

"He's just jealous that he's never gotten one of my intergalactically famous blow-jobs." Jack got up, walked over to Ianto and kissed him on the cheek. He motioned to Owen and pulled them both into a hug.

"Owen, I swear to you that I will treat Ianto right. So relax, what can possibly go wrong?"

Owen just shook his head. "Don't even start Jack, don't even start."

***

They picked up coffee on the way and were at Clifton's right at 8 AM. One of the few traditional men's haberdasheries left in Wales, Clifton's specialized in tailoring suits from scratch. They also carried several lines of the finest designer suits. Seeing as how the party was only a week away, Ianto opted to try on the ready wear suits. He narrowed his choices down to two suits.

He really liked a black pinstriped Versace suit with its notched collar and two button blazer which he had coordinated with a solid deep plum shirt and solid plum tie, but he also like a dark charcoal grey glen plaid John Varvatos three piece suit. He had paired this with a Boss black tonal vertical striped shirt and coordinating Boss black grid tie both in dark purple. The Versace was a dressier suit, but he'd always had a fondness for a suit with a waistcoat.

As Ianto went to change between the two suits for the third time, Jack pulled Owen aside.

"Listen, I know you still aren't comfortable about me and Ianto. But please don't be angry with him. He forgave me; I honestly don't understand it myself, but he has. He said that the anger he had toward me was destroying him, so he forgave me to save himself, not me. Sounds crazy doesn't it?"

Owen thought carefully. "No, not really. He has strong empathic abilities, so he had to know what the anger was doing to him. Frankly he's a much bigger man than I. I still haven't been able to totally forgive you for what happened to Katie. Maybe I should take a lesson from him."

Owen paused. "Somehow, I knew you two were going to hook up, but while I was worried about The Brigadier's reaction, I've been a lot more worried about Ianto getting hurt. I think setting some ground rules is a good idea, and Jack, seriously, if you aren't comfortable with his boundaries, please, promise you'll walk away now. Don't say you'll respect them and then don't. He's really still very emotionally fragile and a betrayal could really do serious damage."

Jack sighed. "You're right. I never want to hurt him again, but if I have to, better to do so now then when he's more emotionally attached to me. I honestly don't know how this is going to work."

Ianto still couldn't decide which suit he wanted. Jack decided for him. "Let's just get them both, hell its Christmas." Ianto was shocked. Jack was about to spend a small fortune on two suits.

"If I may make a suggestion," the owner interjected, "why don't we tailor one suit now and finish the second suit when Mr. Jones returns to Cardiff at the end of January. I'll have my tailor hide a little extra material in the suit we alter now so that we'll be able let it out a bit as Mr. Jones regains some weight. Unless you need both suits now I would suggest that you have the Versace done first. It sounds like your New Year's party is somewhat formal, and the Versace has a tuxedo-like quality to it. The Varvatos is more versatile, so let's save that for when we gave a better idea of a final weight for you. Is that satisfactory, Mr. Jones?"

Ianto nodded yes.

"We'll have the first suit ready the day after by next Wednesday afternoon.

"That's perfect," Owen replied. "I can pick everything up before I drive to London on Thursday. Thanks so much; we really appreciate you opening up early for us."

"Its always a pleasure to have a customer with such discriminating taste like Mr. Jones. And as always, Captain Harkness, it's a pleasure to do business again."

Jack paid for the purchases and they headed back to the SUV. Ianto still couldn't believe that Jack had spent so much money on two suits. He didn't know how Owen would react but he tapped Jack on the shoulder. Jack turned and Ianto pulled him into an embrace. Jack and Ianto held each other quietly for a few moments. Owen could see that Jack had tears in his eyes. Jack kissed the top of Ianto's head.

"Happy Christmas Ianto, I really meant it when I said that I hoped that this would be the start of a wonderful new life for you."

Owen shifted uncomfortably. "Ok you two lovebirds. Its...shit!...almost 10 o'clock. Gwen is going to send out a search party for us if we don't get back to the Hub. And I need to call and see if Tosh is getting released from the hospital today."

As they got into the SUV, Owen realized something. "Jack, do you have any connections with someone who does car repairs? Otherwise I think I should make arrangements to rent a car for the next few weeks."

Jack laughed. "That's going to be a tough one, but let me see what I can do." Jack observed Owen frowning in his rear view mirror. "Poor Owen, looks like you got a big lump of coal in your stocking this year."

"Bah Humbug," Owen retorted.


	31. Empathy

**  
**SUMMARY: Ianto meets Myfanwy and discovers the disasterous state of the Torchwood Three archives. Owen takes care of an injured Tosh. This chapter is rated PG-13 for language and sexual references

Pictures of Ianto's suits from the last chapter can be viewed at my **Homepage. ****Artwork is identified by chapter name - in this case TRUCE. **

(I've disabled comments on the Homepage, but feel free to add any comments about the pictures here)

_**Title is from: One who knows how to show and accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession. Sophocles**_

* * *

They arrived back at the Hub to find Gwen almost hysterical. "Where have you all been? Where's Tosh? When I saw Owen's car, I was frantic. Is everyone OK? And Jack, a post-it note saying 'Back at 10' really wasn't helpful."

Jack explained about the weevil chase, Tosh's injury and Ianto fighting off the weevil with a wheel brace.

"Shit, excuse me a moment," Owen grimaced, "I need to call the hospital and see what's up with Tosh."

"Jack, I was going to call Andy to look for all of you if you hadn't shown up by now. As it is, I was so upset, I called Rhys. He'll be here any moment."

"Sorry, it was so crazy last night, I didn't think about calling you and letting you know what was going on. At least you were safe with Rhys."

Gwen snorted. "Safe, yeah. The big lug dropped the car keys and it took us almost an hour to find them."

Owen came back into view. "Well, I just got off the phone with the hospital. They'll be releasing Tosh later this morning. I'll go over there now and see if she's up to any company. Probably better to wait until I drive her home, but I'll let you know. Uh, Jack, I'm going to need to borrow the SUV again."

"Ok," Jack said tossing him the keys, "but drive carefully. We don't need a second vehicle out of service this week."

"Yeah, guess that means we won't be letting Ianto near the SUV!" Ianto frowned at that remark.

"Listen," Gwen interrupted, "Rhys will be here in a few minutes with my old Honda, why don't you take that to the hospital. That way if anything happens with the rift, we'll have the SUV available. And we won't need it this weekend so you can use it to take Ianto to his sister's, OK? As long as Jack doesn't mind Rhys coming into the Hub."

Jack said it would be fine. After all, Rhys had helped them out a few times and had been in the Hub before. Owen said he'd go up to the tourist office and wait for him there. When Rhys arrived they decided that Jack should go with Owen to the hospital and Gwen and Rhys would stay at the Hub with Ianto.

"And Gwen," Jack admonished, "if anything comes through the rift, call us immediately. Don't go pulling a Ianto on us. We'll see you later." Without thinking, Jack pulled Ianto into his arms and started to snog him. Rhys and Gwen were dumbstruck.

Owen just shrugged. "Yeah, last night was even crazier than you can imagine. Hey you two, enough already!"

It suddenly dawned on Jack that everyone was watching him and Ianto. He broke off the kiss and started to joke about it. "Just a little friendly goodbye kiss…"

"Oi, is that to go along with the friendly little blow jobs I saw earlier," Owen snarked. Ianto turned away from everyone in embarrassment as Owen made a run for the cog door.

"You are so dead Owen!" Jack yelled after him. But instead of running after Owen he walked over to Ianto, put his arms around him and held him tight. "It's OK," he growled. "Captain Jack is going to make Owen walk the plank later."

Jack saluted them and ran out after Owen.

***

When they arrived at the hospital they were relieved to find that Tosh was awake and feisty. "I can't believe they haven't released me yet; I feel fine!"

Jack went to see if he could find the attending physician while Owen reviewed her charts.

"What happened last night, Owen? The last thing I remember is stunning a weevil." Tosh couldn't believe that she had been attacked by the second weevil and that it was Ianto who had saved her life. "That's incredible! He actually fought a weevil with a wheel brace?" Owen nodded.

"Yeah, but it's a good thing that Jack is a great shot with that Webley of his, otherwise, I don't think the results would have been so good for Ianto."

"Is Ianto Ok?"

"Got some bruising on his back, but Jack kissed it and made it all better. And by that, I don't mean the bruise."

Tosh was astonished. "You're kidding me! I just knew there was something going on at dinner last night, but are you telling me…?" Owen just nodded. "Why is it that I always seem to miss the good stuff?"

"Don't worry Tosh, I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to see me snog Ianto senseless," Jack said as he stood in the doorway. "Owen, are you planning on broadcasting my and Ianto's personal life to everyone you meet?"

"Not everyone, just everyone I anticipate you shocking with your behavior with Ianto."

"Well, that's a relief, at least half of Cardiff won't need to know," Jack snarked. "The Attending will be along shortly and we'll get you signed out. Take you home and get you settled."

"I'm really OK to go back to the Hub, Jack," Tosh insisted.

The attending medic did not agree. He wanted quiet and bed rest for Tosh for the following 24 hours. Tosh was very upset that she was going to miss the rest of Ianto's visit. "I didn't even get to play chess with him. I haven't even thanked him for saving my life. This isn't right!"

They decided that they would drop Jack back at the Hub and Owen would go home with Tosh. Jack and the others would come to Tosh's later with dinner. "And if you're up to it, we can watch that new movie, Ianto versus the Weevil. Yep, it's all captured in living black and white on CCTV."

Owen smiled wickedly. Jack knew he was in for it. "Well as long as we don't have to watch the Harkness/Jones wrestling match, I'll be happy."

Jack smiled back. "Well, you wouldn't need to; apparently you had a front row seat for the live performance."

"Ok, enough, both of you." Tosh had blushed a delightful shade of pink. "Really, I don't need the details."

When Tosh saw Gwen's Honda she asked what happened to Owen's Miata.

Owen grimaced. "Don't ask, it was a casualty of Ianto versus the Weevil."

Jack made a mental note to make some calls when he got back to the Hub to see if he couldn't get Owen's car fixed.

***

Once Jack and Owen had left the Hub, Gwen and Rhys looked at each other awkwardly. Ianto was still turned away from them in embarrassment.

"Hey, have you met Myfanwy, yet?" Rhys asked. Ianto turned around. He was still a little red-faced but managed to shake his head 'no.' "Come with me, you've got to see this."

Rhys went over to the small kitchen and pulled out a package from the refrigerator. He went over to the center of the Hub and whistled. Overhead the pterodactyl began to circle. Ianto stood watching entranced. Rhys opened the package and pulled out some raw chopped meat. He rolled it into a ball and tossed it into the air. Myfanwy swooped down, caught the meat in her beak and swallowed it in one bite.

Gwen noticed that Ianto had closed his eyes, and had his head cocked. Myfanwy circled again, and Rhys threw another hamburger ball to her.

The third time around she swooped down and landed on a railing very close to Ianto. Gwen started to reach out to protect him, but Ianto held his hand up for her to stop. The pterodactyl was observing Ianto closely. Ianto slowly reached his hand out. Rhys winced; he knew that her beak could snap off a finger in an instant. Still, he figured it was best not to do anything that might startle the creature. In a flash, Ianto moved close to the railing where Myfanwy was standing and she began clicking her beak through his hair. Ianto smiled and scratched her under the chin. Gwen and Rhys stayed absolutely still while Ianto and Myfanwy continued to groom each other. Finally with a shake, Myfanwy jumped back on the railing away from Ianto . Rhys took the opportunity to prepare the last hamburger ball. She squawked, flew off the railing and began to circle again. Rhys threw it to her. Once she swallowed it down, she circled higher and disappeared in the upper reaches of the Hub.

"She's got a nest up there. And if you're not careful," Rhys quipped, "you just might find yourself living in it with her."

Gwen was absolutely amazed. "Ianto, were you communicating with her?"

Ianto pulled his phone out. Gwen and Rhys set theirs up to receive Ianto's IM.

Ianto: _Sort of, not really communicating, but I could sense her feelings. She's lonely. She's confused about where she is. Why there's nothing familiar to her. But she likes when she gets fed._

Gwen smiled. Ianto was really an amazing young man. She could see why Owen was so fond of him…not to mention Jack.

"Would you like to meet Janet, our resident weevil?" Ianto stared at her. "Sorry, guess you'd probably rather skip that this time around."

Ianto nodded.

Ianto:_ Yeah, I think I met her boyfriend last night. It didn't end well…You know, I'm starving. I…uh...lost my dinner so to speak last night and I've only had coffee and a roll since._

Gwen immediately went into full fuss mode. She had Rhys take Ianto up to the conference room while she checked out the refrigerator. She found bread and enough luncheon meat for sandwiches. She made two normal sized sandwiches and one huge one that she put in front of Ianto. Ianto looked across the table at Rhys. Rhys didn't have to be empathic to know that the Ianto was feeling a little queasy looking at the amount of food in front of him. He quickly exchanged his sandwich with Ianto's. "Oi, I'll take the bigger one," he said as he quickly took a bite from it. Gwen huffed her displeasure. Ianto nodded his thanks to Rhys.

Jack arrived back as they were eating lunch. "Hey, didn't you make anything for me?" Rhys smiled and handed him half of the huge sandwich. Jack looked a little startled by the size but shrugged and began to eat it.

"You know, I made that sandwich for Ianto and you two just have no manners at all." As she turned to grab a napkin, the three men grinned at each other. They quickly stopped before Gwen turned back.

Jack let them know that Owen had taken Tosh home and if she felt up to it they would join her for dinner. Rhys couldn't wait to tell Jack about Ianto and Myfanwy. Jack was astounded. "You know, Ianto, I was serious about getting you some training for your abilities. Would you mind if I spoke to The Brigadier about it?"

Ianto:_ Honestly, I'm a little nervous about letting UNIT know. I don't want to be asked or trained to do anything harmful with it. Like you said, it's not right to look into other people's minds without their consent. I'd like to learn how to block out other people's thoughts. Particularly when I'm in a crowd, it can be overwhelming. But, I've been thinking that it could be used for interrogation or extracting information from other people's minds against their will, and I don't want to be involved with anything like that._

Jack had to admit that Ianto had a good point. "Ok, I won't say anything to them. But when you come back to Cardiff let's search the archives and see if we can find out anything about controlling empathic ability. I have a little skill in that area, but I don't think it's going to be enough to really help you. In the meantime, maybe you can find out whether Myfanwy likes beef or lamb better."

Rhys laughed. "I think she actually likes finger food the best, fortunately for Ianto, that doesn't seem to include his fingers."

After lunch, Ianto got the grand tour of the Hub. 'This place is a friggin' mess' he thought, 'doesn't anyone pick up after themselves?' He asked if they could get on an IM conference call so he could talk to everyone at once.

When they went down to the archives, Ianto got visibly upset.

Ianto: _How can you possibly find anything down here? Nothing is organized properly. You actually have every unidentified mechanical object filed under "A" for "Alien Technology? And what about everything you scavenged from Torchwood One? _

Jack motioned Ianto over to a door. It opened into a huge room stacked floor to ceiling with boxes. There must have been several hundred boxes all labeled Torchwood One.

Ianto: _Do you have any idea what's in these boxes? _

Jack and Gwen admitted that they had no idea what the boxes contained. They explained that they did the best they could with the resources they had.

Ianto: _That's just not acceptable. As of the end of January, you just hired yourself a Head Archivist. This will take months to sort through. Guess I don't have to worry what to do to keep me busy once I move back here._

Jack was going to object, but realized that they really could use some help. With Torchwood One gone, there really wasn't anyone else to keep track of anything that came through the rift. Ianto would have something to do that he excelled at, and as a bonus, he could see Ianto every day.

Ianto: _Oh and Jack, as Head Archivist, I will want a 10% increase over what I was making at Torchwood One._

Jack pretended to be shocked. "Ten percent! The cost of living is much lower in Cardiff than London. And UNIT is picking up the cost of your flat. Just how can you justify such a demand?"

Ianto: _Let's just call it combat pay, shall we?_

***

Owen called in around 4 PM and said that Tosh was more than ready for some company. Jack put him on the speakerphone in the conference room.

"Oi, she's making me crazy, she is. Convinces me to play chess, then beats me in ten moves. Then she wants to watch a video, but changes her mind a dozen times while the opening credits are running."

"I only changed my mind twice Owen, stop exaggerating," Tosh yelled so Jack could hear.

"And her ladyship would like Indian, or was it Chinese, no maybe it was Middle Eastern for dinner."

"Indian, I want a curry," Jack heard Tosh say. "And Jack, tell Ianto he's about to get his butt kicked at chess." Ianto raised his eyebrows at that remark.

"Well, from the look on Ianto's face, he's not quite convinced of your chess prowess. Guess we'll have to see about that along with watching another movie I'm going to download to your computer."

"What movie?" Owen asked.

Jack smirked. "Let's just say that it's a remake of Godzilla versus Mothra. We'll see you around 5:30 OK…with curry."

Gwen ordered everyone's favorite along with a curry for Ianto from the Indian takeaway Tosh favored. They'd pick it up on the way to Tosh's.

Gwen noticed that Ianto had been very quiet since the tour. "Ianto, are you OK, love?"

Ianto: _I'm really tired all of a sudden. Would you mind if I took a nap on the sofa?_

No one did, so Ianto went down to the sofa and stretched out. Jack followed him down to dim the lights in the main area of the Hub. "Hey, I'll wake you up a little before we leave, OK?" Ianto nodded. Knowing that Gwen and Rhys were watching he gave Ianto a quick kiss on his forehead and walked back up to the conference room.


	32. Teasing

SUMMARY: Tosh is visited by the rest of the TW team as she recovers from her enounter with a weevil. So what's with all the teasing of Ianto and Tosh by Owen? This chapter is rated PG for language.**  
**

_****__**Title is from: You know how**_ easily and suddenly these things happen, beginning in playful teasing and ending in something a little warmer than friendship. Sir Arther Conan DoyleA little before 5 PM Jack went down from the conference room to check on Ianto. He was sleeping so soundly that Jack hated to disturb him. But they were leaving for Tosh's in a few minutes and he wanted Ianto to at least have time to wake up a bit.

* * *

"Come on, wake up, Tosh is waiting for us. You want to be fully aware when she trounces you at chess."

Ianto sighed and opened his eyes. "Sorry Ianto, I didn't realize how easily you tired."

Ianto grinned mischievously. '_Well, I think I've had more physical activity in the last twenty-four hours than I've had in the prior six months.'_

Jack chuckled, "Between fending off weevils and Captain Jack, it's been very tiring, hasn't it?" Ianto nodded. "Poor baby. I'll have to make that up to you."

'_It's your 'making-up' that's exhausting me,' _Ianto retorted, not looking upset at all.

"Oi, you guys almost ready?" Rhys shouted down from the upper level of the Hub.

"Yeah just give Ianto a minute to powder his nose."

Ianto rolled his eyes as he headed off to the shower change area.

A few minutes later they piled into the SUV and headed off to dinner with Tosh.

* *

Both Tosh and Owen looked relieved when they all arrived at her flat. "He's making me crazy," she whispered to her guests.

"I heard that, and for the record I'm just being a good medic, that's all."

"Well, I didn't mind you asking me to count backwards from one hundred by subtracting sevens, but I draw the line at the pat my head, rub my tummy, and hop on one foot at the same time request."

"Hey, it's good for checking out coordination of different parts of the brain."

"Owen do you have an orthopedist you're trying to give some business to, because I couldn't do that if I wasn't concussed. Not without breaking my hip or something."

Tosh and Owen stopped bickering long enough to realize that the others were still standing in the doorway.

Gwen laughed, "The way you two go on, you sound like an old married couple. Maybe you should think about that." Both Tosh and Owen turned bright red.

Ianto made eye contact with Owen and gave him a small smile as he raised one eyebrow. Owen winked back.

"Where are my manners," Tosh mused. "Come in everyone."

Jack gave Tosh a hug. She was wearing a pair of track pants and a sweatshirt and had pinned her hair up away from her face. "For a woman with scrambled brains, you look gorgeous to me."

Tosh rolled her eyes. She hugged Rhys and Gwen and then turned to Ianto.

"Come here, my brave hero." Ianto walked over and put his arms around her. "I hear you saved my life…so I promise not to beat you at chess in less than ten moves." Tosh giggled as she slipped out of Ianto's grip. "Seriously, Ianto, how are you feeling?"

Ianto smiled. "OK" he signaled with his fingers. He took out his phone and mimed that they should get their phones out as well. They quickly set up an IM session.

Ianto: _I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that if Tosh is up to it, I'll have her download the voice software after dinner._

"Which one did you decide on," she asked. For reasons he couldn't even explain, Ianto felt shy about telling everyone. "Oh come on Ianto, I can't download it if I don't know which one you want." Ianto held up three fingers.

"Number Three. Oi, I knew it," Owen laughed. "He picked the posh almost British one."

"I'm not surprised he picked that one," Gwen quipped. "It's got some very sexy undertones to it."

Tosh shrugged, "Ok, I admit, I liked the first one best. Nice and soft, with a little lilt. I know it's a more Northern accent, but it sounded dreamy to me."

Rhys didn't want to be left out. "Personally, I was hoping for Splott! Thought it would be hilarious."

Everyone looked at Jack. "As you recall, I was making an appointment for Ianto's suits while the software testing was going on. All I can say is that it's going to be a little strange hearing the voice when I already have my own imaginings of what Ianto sounds like."

"Well, remember there isn't any intonation to the software voice, so when he keys in "Oh, Jack, oh Jack, YES! It's going to sound a lot less interesting." Owen almost couldn't believe he said that…almost.

Ianto blushed. He was getting a little sick of Owen's constant teasing about him and Jack. Jack picked up on Ianto's distress. "Owen, since I'm a little empathic myself Ianto can push his thoughts to me – and trust me, I hear every sigh and moan and cry he makes."

"All right that's enough," Rhys interrupted, "the foods getting cold."

"And the room's getting a little too warm," Gwen snarked.

Tosh had them sit down at her dining room table and she motioned to Ianto for his phone. "It takes a little while for the software to load, so let me get this started and it will be done by the time we finish eating."

Ianto looked a little confused. Gwen quickly handed him her phone. "Here, Rhys and I can share and we don't want you to get left out of the conversation." He smiled at Gwen.

Ianto was surprised that he was hungrier than he thought. He had been concerned that Indian might be too spicy after having been sick the night before, but Gwen had ordered him a very mild curry, more sweet that hot. Tosh's curry, on the other hand was nuclear. Owen tried a bit and almost choked. "Tosh, are ya trying to kill me; how can you eat that?"

Tosh shrugged. "I think it's what you're used to. My mom used lots of peppers and spices in her cooking when I was growing up, so this tastes normal to me."

Ianto: Are you going to get to see your Mom for Christmas?

Tosh dropped her fork. It suddenly got very quiet around the table. Ianto sensed that he had said something terribly wrong, but didn't know what it was.

Tosh looked across the table at Ianto who could see tears in her eyes. "Ianto, I can't see my mother for another two years."

Ianto didn't understand but kept quiet. "It's OK, Ianto, you couldn't know…part of the condition for my transfer from UNIT to Torchwood Three was that I couldn't have contact with my family for five years."

Ianto really didn't understand what was going on. He was going to ask when he sensed Jack pushing out "Don't." He nodded subtly.

Ianto: I'm sorry. Good thing then that you'll be with Gwen and Rhys.

Jack immediately jumped into the conversation. "I meant to ask you Tosh, do you want me to pick you up on the way to their house for Christmas dinner?"

"That'd be great Jack."

Rhys slapped his head. "Don't let me forget, we've got the presents for Ianto's family in the boot of my car. Let's make sure that Ianto gets them tonight so he has them for Christmas Eve.

They sat around the table and chatted a while until Jack stood up. "Well, if everyone's finished, I'd like to let you know that I have a wonderful video for everyone to see. Just in time for Christmas its 'Ianto versus the Weevil.' Yes a heartwarming story of a boy, his friend Tosh and their pet Weevil.

Owen snorted. "I understand there's a car wreck scene in it as well."

"Oh yeah, Owen, I have a friend who owes me a favor. He'll be coming by the Hub tomorrow morning to get your car. If everything goes well, you'll have it back on Wednesday."

"Thanks Jack, though I think Ianto ought to pay for the damage."

Ianto frowned, mostly in play, but he did feel just a tiny bit put out.

Tosh slapped Owen playfully. "Don't you say anything mean about my knight in shining armor. If it weren't for Ianto, I might not be here. Let's go watch the video."

Tosh had an impressive home theater system; like most people with a technology background she always had to have the latest gadget, be that a TV, stereo, iphone, whatever. She downloaded the video file onto her computer and then streamed the image to a large flat screen that hung on the wall. They sat down on soft white leather sofas placed for optimal viewing.

"Jack you can still use the computer controls if you want to zoom in on anything."

Jack started playing the CCTV feed. It was a little grainy and wasn't directly focused on the area where the Tosh, Ianto and the weevils had been. Jack zoomed in on the right hand section, and the images enlarged and then came into focus. The angle was still from the side, but they could clearly see the park and the street nearby.

The video started just before Ianto got out of the car. When Ianto got out to look in the boot, Owen interrupted. "I thought I told you NOT to get out of the car Ianto, what the hell were you thinking?" Jack paused the image.

Ianto looked abashed. He held up Gwen's phone and looked at Tosh.

"Right," she said, "Ianto's phone should be ready, so as long as we've paused the download, give us a few minutes to see if the voice software is working."

She finished configuring the software on the phone and handed it to Ianto. "I'm not sure if you'll want to type a whole sentence or thought before you play it or if you want to have to translate word by word. Guess that would depend on how fast and accurately you can type. Yeah, just hit the key there and you're ready to go."

Ianto looked at everyone and smiled. He typed something and hit the key. _"Name's Bond, Ianto Bond" _his phone announced."

Gwen squeaked. "Oh my goodness Ianto, that sounds a little like Roger Moore!" Your niece and nephew are going to go crazy!"

Ianto tried the word by word translation. "_Good thing… that..James..Bond has…such a dead…pan…voice." _Ianto shook his head in annoyance and typed some more. _"I think its got to be sentence by sentence at the least, otherwise it sounds very…stra..nge."_

Everyone agreed that it sounded much better when it translated full sentences at a time.

"Ok, Ianto, now do you want to explain why you were out of the car," Owen asked again.

"_Well, I didn't know if a weevil could get into the car and I didn't have anything to protect myself with."_

Owen sighed and shook his head.

"Actually," Jack interjected while giving Owen a little bit of a sharp look, "he's got a point. Those creatures are strong enough to break a window and pull a person right out of a car. Let's get back to the tape shall we?"

They watched as Jack zoomed in on Tosh as she came on screen and stunned the first weevil. Jack switched the view over to Ianto and saw him smash the side mirror. Owen winced. Jack stopped the feed. "I'm going to back this up and zoom in on Tosh so you can see why Ianto did that."

He backed up the download and refocused on Tosh. Everyone could see the second weevil coming up behind her, could hear Ianto smashing the mirror and see how it had distracted the weevil. "Ianto, that was so brave," Gwen gushed.

The feed continued with the weevil looking between Tosh and Ianto and Ianto then smashing out the passenger window. Owen groaned as he watched that scene. They continued to watch as the weevil approached Ianto, the wheel brace hitting the weevil and Ianto being thrown against the car. They could see Ianto sitting on the ground and then leaning over…Jack stopped the download. "I think we can skip that part," Jack snarked.

Owen was in awe. "Did you actually snarl at that weevil, Ianto?" Ianto nodded 'yes.'

"That's incredible. Also incredibly stupid, but incredible nonetheless."

Tosh came over to Ianto sat down next to him and put her arms around him. "Oh my god Ianto, I would be dead if it weren't for you." Tosh began to cry. Ianto put his arms around Tosh and held her tightly. Owen felt a little miffed. Shouldn't he be the one comforting Tosh, after all he was her…uh good friend.

Eventually, Tosh stopped crying and Ianto loosened his grip. She wiped her face and smiled a little sheepishly. "Sorry, not sure where that came from; I guess watching yourself almost become weevil chow is a little disconcerting."

An awkward silence followed until Rhys chimed in with "Oi, we didn't tell you about Ianto and Myfanwy did we? You should have seen it, it was brilliant. He was communicating with her. She came right up to him and was grooming him."

Owen laughed, "Let's see he almost gets to be weevil lunch, gets to flirt with a pterodactyl, could it get any better - hey, did you meet Janet?"

Ianto stared at Owen. "Sorry, sorry, didn't think."

"I feel so much better," Gwen snorted, "I asked him the same thing."

'_And I'll give him the same answer…meeting her boyfriend in the park last night was enough weevil interaction for me!' _As he pressed the send key, Ianto couldn't stifle a yawn.

Owen knew that Ianto was probably exhausted from everything that had happened in the last two days. And he still had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to get through with his family. "You know, I hate to be breaking up the party, but I think someone needs to get some sleep. If you think you are tired now, wait till those two kids get done playing with Uncle Ianto."

Ianto nodded. Owen had a point. He realized that he had been having such a nice time that he really hadn't had the opportunity to get himself all worked up about seeing his family. 'Still got half of tomorrow for that.'

Everyone started to get up to leave. "Listen, I need to stay over to keep an eye on Tosh. So Jack can you drop Ianto back at my place?" He saw that Ianto was doing his best to hide his disappointment.

"Oi, who am I kidding. Jack, you go stay with Ianto at my place, but seriously, let him get a little sleep, will ya. Why don't we meet for brunch around 10? I know you aren't doing anything tomorrow, but we've got to be at his sister's by 2 PM."

"Were going to have to skip brunch, we have to get our place cleaned up before Mother arrives tomorrow night."

"Yes, what Rhys means is that I have to get the place cleaned up. We decided to swap chores this year. I'm cleaning the house and Rhys is cooking the roast beef. We'll see what his mother makes of that one."

Rhys looked at Tosh and Jack. "We'll see you at our house at two in the afternoon on Christmas Day, OK? And don't forget when we get back to the Hub, we need to transfer the presents from our boot to the SUV."

Everyone said their goodbyes and Jack, Gwen, Rhys and Ianto drove back to the Hub.

Tosh looked at Owen. "That was really nice of you, letting Jack stay over with Ianto."

Owen laughed. "Oh, I'm pretty sure that he would have stayed over whether I said it was OK or not. So why be a scrooge about it?"

Tosh bit her lip. "Owen, if I tell you something about Ianto will you promise just to listen and think about what I have to say?"

Owen felt a little dread. What now? Was something wrong with Ianto?

"I think you and Ianto have a sweet relationship, like brothers almost. But maybe you should lay off on the teasing him about Jack." Owen looked puzzled.

"You're probably a little uncomfortable about them being together. That's certainly understandable. But I have a feeling that this is his first serious relationship with a man and he's also a bit unsure about it as well. You wouldn't notice, but he looks embarrassed and a little lost when you tease him. He wants to please you, and he wants to please Jack and he doesn't know what to do."

Owen sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'm teasing him cause I don't want to take the relationship seriously, but Ianto certainly does. And it's easy to forget how young he is, and how much he's been through. I'll have to watch that. Hell, I'm an idiot."

Tosh smiled and kissed Owen on the cheek. "No you're not; you human. Just like everyone else." She turned to start cleaning up, when it hit her.

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit!"

"What is it?"

"I never got to play my chess game with Ianto!"

"Hey, I'll play you again, and if I can hold out for 15 moves you owe me dinner at that new posh steak house."

"You're on."


	33. Naughty Boy

SUMMARY: Ianto spends Christmas Eve with with his family after not seeing them for five years. Will his family welcome him with open arms, or will they kick him to the curb? This chapter is rated PG for language**  
**  
_**Let's be naughty and save Santa the trip. Gary Allan**_**  
**

* * *

After driving back to the Hub, Rhys and Jack transferred Ianto's presents into the SUV. "Ianto, don't let me forget to take these into Owen' place so you can put them in the Honda tomorrow. "

Ianto hugged Gwen and Rhys goodbye since he wouldn't be seeing them until he returned to Cardiff at the end of January. "We'll have to have a full Christmas family debriefing when you get back," Gwen laughed. "Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure we'll be having the more insane stories."

'_I hope you're right, otherwise, I'm in big trouble.'_

_***_

When Ianto and Jack got to Owen's place, it was clear that Ianto was exhausted. Jack helped him get into some sweat pants while he stripped down to his briefs. Once in bed, Ianto was all for some snogging, but Jack could see how tired he was. "Ianto, let's just sleep, OK?"

Ianto felt incredibly disappointed. '_What are you tired of me already?'_

"You stop that right now. Come here." Jack pulled Ianto against him and held him tight. "Let's just snuggle for a while." Ianto groaned and shut his eyes. Jack stroked his hair and spoke softly to him about how much fun they were going to have when he came back to Cardiff. Five minutes later, Ianto began to snore. Jack chuckled to himself, 'hey I like sex as much as anyone, but I generally like my partners to be awake for the experience.'

***

Owen arrived back at his flat around 8 AM. As he walked by Ianto's room he couldn't help but look in. Jack was spooned against Ianto's back and both were sound asleep. They looked so peaceful that Owen felt his heart ache a little. He remembered how he and Katie used to sleep that way and how safe and grounded he always felt when he woke up holding her. For the first time since her death he considered that maybe he ought to think about a real relationship with someone, not just meaningless shags with strangers night after night. 'What Ianto's been through is as bad if not worse than my own loss. If he can move on, I really should be able to as well.'

Owen didn't want to disturb them, so he closed their door and went to read the morning paper. About an hour later he heard Jack speaking to Ianto and wanted to make sure they knew he was home. He went into the kitchen and rattled around some drawers and started to make some coffee.

Jack came out wearing Ianto's robe and sat down at Owen's kitchen table. He yawned loudly. "I actually slept for a few hours last night. I don't do that too often. And Ianto was asleep five minutes after we went to bed." Owen raised his eyebrows. "Hey, I'm not a total git. He's exhausted, and for the record I can actually restrain myself on occasion."

Owen handed Jack a mug of coffee. Jack took a sip. "Owen, also for the record, you make terrible coffee. I wonder if Ianto can make a decent cup…between yours and Gwen's coffee, I'm keeping the Starbucks near the Hub in business." Owen smiled.

"Is Ianto awake, yet?"

"He's sort of in and out; I thought I'd get showered first and then get him up."

"It's just going to be the three of us for breakfast, Tosh was pretty tired herself and decided she didn't want to have to go out until tomorrow. So we really can just go whenever he's up and ready."

Jack went and took his shower and by the time he finished, Ianto was awake. Ianto joined them in the kitchen and they shared a cup of coffee.

'_Did you make this coffee, Owen?' _Owen nodded. _'It sucks, and not in a good way. I'm going to have to give you some lessons on making coffee when I'm back in January.'_

Owen felt a little put out; his coffee wasn't that bad, was it? "Oi, I almost forgot a package came for you yesterday from London."

Ianto was puzzled; he wasn't expecting any deliveries. He opened the box and found a large Christmas tin. He opened it up and saw there were brownies inside. Still confused, he read the card that came with the tin:

**Happy Christmas Ianto!**

**These brownies are for adults only! Hope you and your pals at Torchwood enjoy them.**

**See you soon, Stephen.**

'_Bet they've got rum in them, that would be sooo Stephen. Good thing he told me, cause Mica and David would certainly want some. Jack, why don't you take them to Gwen's…she's not having any children over, is she?_'

Jack replied that as far as he knew it was just five adults.

'_Well make sure you tell her because I don't want her serving them later and having a kid get sick because of me.'_

"Hopefully, if he used enough rum, that will be obvious to her."

'_Yeah, true. Got to tell you, I never knew Stephen could cook. The most I ever saw him do was open a beer and put some crisps in a bowl. A man of hidden talents, he is.' _

Jack took the tin and they drove in the SUV to the local waffle house where they had an uneventful breakfast. Uneventful except for Jack's atrocious eating habits. Ianto wasn't sure if it was an American thing or a Harkness thing, but what was with him trying to eat donuts in two bites. At one point, Jack started laughing with his mouth full of donut, spewing powdered sugar out over the table.

'_Can't dress him up and take him anywhere, can you?' snarked Ianto. _

Owen smiled. "Oh this is nothing. You should see him with popcorn. More of it ends up on the floor than actually in his mouth. Must be because he insists on throwing it in the air to catch with his mouth and misses 90% of the time."

All too soon breakfast was over and Jack had to get back to keep an eye on the Hub. When he stopped to drop Owen and Ianto back at the flat, Owen excused himself so that Jack and Ianto could have a private goodbye.

Ianto was surprised that he felt so emotional about leaving Jack. He willed himself not to cry, but Jack could see how upset he was. It touched Jack deeply that Ianto was going to miss him after so short a time together. "Don't be sad Ianto; think about all the fun we're going to have once you come back. Yeah, maybe you could even be thinking specifically about some fun things you'd like to do when you get back."

'_I have something for you.' _Ianto smiled shyly as he handed Jack a small rectangular box he had in his coat pocket. _'Don't you open that before Christmas morning, OK?'_

Jack nodded. "Funny thing, I have something for you as well." Jack reached into the pocket of his coat and handed Ianto a heavy small square box. "And you have to promise not to open it until you get back to London."

Jack gave Ianto a rather chaste final kiss as he got out of the car. "Be good Ianto. Have fun at your New Year's party, just not too much fun, OK?"

Just before Ianto went into the lobby of Owen's building he turned to look at Jack for a final time. Jack smiled and blew him a kiss.

***

They arrived at Rhiannon's house shortly before 2 PM. Ianto took a deep breath.

"Are you nervous?"

'_No, not at all unless walking into a weevil's den would make you nervous.'_

"Hey your sister and brother-in-law are nice people. Can't say about the kids; they were running out the door, the little hellions, as I was coming in."

'_If that's supposed to reassure me, it's not working. I hope they aren't put off by the voice software. Guess, we'll find out,'_ Ianto said a little hesitantly.

They went up to the door carrying all the presents. Before they could knock, the door was opened by a little girl. "Mummy, Uncle Ianto's here, Uncle Ianto's here!" she yelled excitedly. As they stepped inside, Ianto wondered if Mica knew which one of them was Uncle Ianto. They put the presents down to greet everyone.

Rhiannon ran to the door and pulled Ianto into a hug. "Oh, its been way too long Ianto; its so good to have you home." Ianto kissed her on the cheek and held her tight.

"Mica, this is your Uncle Ianto." Mica reached up for a hug.

"And this is his friend Dr. Harper."

"Call me Owen, please."

Mica looked up at Owen with big blue eyes. Her resemblance to Ianto was striking. She had the same grey-blue eyes, pouty mouth, and dark wavy hair with very fair skin. "Can we call you Uncle Owen?"

Surprisingly, Owen wasn't put off by the little girl. "Why of course you can. I'd be honored." What he wasn't expecting was the next question. "Are you Uncle Ianto's boyfriend?" Owen looked a little puzzled as he wasn't quite sure that Mica understood the implications of that word. When he didn't answer she looked at him coyly and asked, "You know, are you married?"

Owen burst out laughing. Ianto smiled. "No, no, I'm his doctor and his good friend, kind of like a big brother. You've got a big brother, don't you?"

"Yeah, and I hope you're nicer to him than David is to me!"

"Hey, I heard that," an older, somewhat stocky boy shouted as he came into the room. He came up behind Mica and pushed her. Mica started to cry. Owen scowled. Instinctively, Ianto reached down and picked Mica up in his arms trying to soothe her.

"David, if you don't stop that, Santa's not going to bring you any presents," Rhiannon scolded.

David rolled his eyes, and smirked, "Santa, yeah, like I'm really worried about Santa."

Johnny came up behind him and slapped his head lightly. "Oi, big guy, do not be disrespecting Santa in this house. Go have a sit in the kitchen if you're going to be a brat." David sulked and left the room.

"Remind you of anyone else at around the age of ten?" Rhiannon asked. "He's exactly like you, the little know it all."

Ianto thought, 'well here goes.' He began to type on his cell while Rhiannon and Johnny watched him. He hit the send key. '_No way was I that bratty, no way.'_

"Oh, Ianto, that sounds just like you! Where did you get that from?"

'_Owen's co-worker Tosh found it for me. It's not bad, is it?'_

Johnny had forgotten about Ianto not being able to speak. He looked Ianto over closely and saw how thin he was and how tired he looked. He could also see that Ianto was happy but nervous to be home. 'Want to make sure he knows he's welcome here.'

"Ianto, the voice is fantastic! Its not at all was I was expecting. And you look good, a little tired maybe, but good." He gave Ianto a big bear hug.

Rhiannon interrupted, "Oi, what am I thinking, you haven't seen Mum yet." She grabbed Ianto by the hand and took him into the lounge area. When she saw him come in, Ianto and Rhiannon's mother looked up from her newspaper and smiled.

Ianto quickly toggled over to the Welsh software and went over and hugged and kissed his mother. She patted the chair next to her and Ianto sat down. She spoke to him rapidly in Welsh, eliciting a few smiled from everyone and a snort at one point from Ianto.

Owen whispered to Johnny, "what's she saying, I don't know enough Welsh to follow the conversation."

Johnny whispered back, "She's scolding him for not calling or visiting more often and telling him he looks too thin, and that his hair is too long. Let me see if I can't interrupt and introduce you."

Johnny spoke to Mum and explained who Owen was and that he didn't speak Welsh. Rhiannon told Owen what Johnny had said. Mum motioned Owen over and pulled him into a hug and kissed him as well. "She wants you to know how grateful she is for taking care of Ianto…." and then Johnny and Rhiannon and Ianto burst out laughing. Johnny spoke to her again, and shook his head at her reply.

"Well, seems like Mica and Mum like to watch the same soap opera. That explains her question. She wants to know if you're going to have a commitment ceremony anytime soon. Everyone was laughing. "Apparently we missed the big wedding between Gareth and Lolo on _Pobol y Cwm."_

Ianto replied, '_He's not my boyfriend, he's my doctor and my best friend.'_

Mum replied that he could do worse than a doctor. When this was translated, Owen laughed so hard that he thought he'd piss himself. He and Ianto made eye contact and they knew they were both thinking, 'well that could make things a whole lot easier down the road.'

"Do you have a girlfriend at least, or is that too old fashioned to even consider," Johnny snarked.

'_Well, I was seeing someone in London for a bit, but that wasn't a long-term thing.'_

Owen jumped in, "Gorgeous Irish red-head, name of Kelly."

Johnny asked Mum how she would feel if Ianto married an Irish lady. She replied that she'd rather see Ianto with a Welsh man than an Irish woman. Owen thought, 'there's really no accounting for prejudice is there?' Out loud he asked, "how about an American man?" Ianto shot him a glance thinking 'I'm going to kill you.'

She said she'd still prefer a nice Welsh boy, but she'd rather he was with an American man than an Irish woman. Rhiannon asked, "Is there some reason you were asking that Owen?"

"No, no, just wanted to see if it was the Irish part specifically your mum was objecting to or the non-Welsh part."

David came back into the lounge and sat down next to Ianto. "So what did you get me?" Rhiannon looked mortified.

Ianto kept a perfectly straight face and typed. '_I got you the best gift ever! Pajamas with bunnies on them. And matching bunny slippers. They are so cute; I can't wait to see you in them!'_David looked at Ianto horrified. Then he realized that Ianto was having one over on him. He punched Ianto lightly on the arm. "Gor, I thought you were serious for a moment."

David was quite taken with Ianto's 'talking phone.' "Hey can you show me how that software works, it sounds pretty good. I thought it was going to be like a robot voice." David got up and began to walk like a robot with his arms held stiffly by his sides. "Kill…the…humans…kill the… humans." Everyone laughed, everyone that is except Ianto.

Ianto almost jumped out of his skin. David looked like a Cyberman but sounded _exactly_ like a Dalek. Owen noticed the change in Ianto's demeanor. 'Hey Ianto, you didn't take your afternoon pill yet did you? Step into the kitchen with me for a moment…"

Ianto quickly got up and followed Ianto into the kitchen. Rhiannon and Johnny had noticed the change in Ianto as well, but the kids and Mum were oblivious. Rhiannon got up, "let me go help them find a glass for water."

When she stepped into the kitchen she saw that Ianto was leaning against a counter shaking. Owen was speaking quietly to Ianto, his face drawn into a worried frown.

"What the matter," she whispered.

Ianto didn't know what to say. Fortunately, Owen had some practice covering up Torchwood activities, so he was pretty good at constructing stories off the cuff. 'Always best to stick as close to the truth as you can.'

"Ianto's having a little bit of a flashback to the terrorist attack. Not sure why, but sometimes a sound or a smell can cause it. Especially if he's tired. Doesn't even have to seem to be related, just an involuntary response."

Rhiannon nodded. "Ianto, you do look a little tired. Do you want to have a lie down for a bit, we won't be having dinner for nearly another hour?" Ianto nodded. "Oh, and here's a glass of water for you."

Owen got a bottle out of his pocket and handed Ianto a small round pill. Ianto shrugged and took the medication. As Rhiannon turned to put the glass into the sink, Owen mouthed "Echinacea." Ianto smiled and nodded.

She took Ianto up to David's room. Ianto shuddered when he saw how David's clothes were thrown everywhere, his toys and games were covering every available surface and the bed linens looked like they had been through a tornado. "Oi, you may be Mr. Neat now, but I can remember when your room looked worse. And don't go denying it, or I'll start telling Owen embarrassing stories from when we were kids."

Ianto grinned at her. _'And speaking of embarrassing stories, maybe I should tell Owen about the time I caught you and Tommy McFarlane behind the school…' _

Rhiannon smacked Ianto on his arse. "Don't you dare…don't you even..."

'_You know, I wonder if Johnny's ever heard that story?'_

She went to hit him again and Ianto grabbed her and held her close. _'Guw, I've missed you Rhiannon…I forgot how much fun we used to have.'_

"Oh yeah, loads of fun," she laughed, "you always spying on me and my boyfriends, me always tormenting you…" Her face softened, "yeah I've missed you too. Seriously, Ianto, how are you feeling?"

Ianto sat down on the bed. Rhiannon sat down next to him. _'Ok, really. I still get tired pretty easily and I've been a lot doing more the last few days than I'm used to. We drove back Thursday evening and Friday I got to meet all of Owen's co-workers and see my new flat, and then went to dinner with everyone. It was a late night. _

_Yesterday morning Owen's boss, Captain Harkness took me buy some new suits, I've lost so much weight nothing fits and then we went and visited and had dinner with Tosh who was... a little under the weather. A big day for me usually consists of getting up, having breakfast, taking a short walk, having a nap, watching TV, dinner, maybe some more TV and then bed.'_

"Ianto, are you in any pain? You look like your back hurts."

'_Yeah, I fell yesterday. You've noticed that I startle pretty easily. Well, I heard this loud siren yesterday, and I turned around so quick that I lost my balance. I also managed to knock Captain Harkness off his feet. Oh, I forgot to tell you that I'm going to be doing some work for Torchwood Three.'_

Rhiannon was not happy to hear this at all. "Ianto, you almost got killed working for them in London, why would you even think of working for them again?"

'_Well there aren't a lot of jobs for people with my skills in Cardiff. I don't think this is a permanent position, but their archives, you wouldn't believe what a mess they are in. And they have boxes and boxes of stuff that were salvaged from London and nobody's even looked at what's in them! So at least I can be of some help. And they've done an awful lot for me.'_

Rhiannon snorted. "Yeah, like helping you to lose your speech and some use of your hand and almost your life."

'_Rhiannon, you can't blame Cardiff for London's mistakes. They are two totally different operations.'_

"So did Owen get you the job?"

'_No, Jack…Captain Harkness offered me the position.'_

"I see. You know I think I recall having seen him around town once or twice. American isn't he?" Rhiannon smiled wickedly at Ianto. Ianto blushed. Rhiannon hugged her brother tightly.

"Whatever you do and whoever you are with, Johnny and me will be behind you. We just want you to be happy, Ianto, really. And if this Jack here or Kelly in London will make you happy, then that's fine by us. Now lay down and get some rest."

Ianto looked at the bed. He didn't want to be rude, but he really, really, didn't want to nap on those sheets.

"Oi, give me a minute, I'll get some clean sheets. You look like you're about to run screaming from the room." Rhiannon retrieved some clean linens from another room and she and Ianto changed the bed. "I'll wake you in about an hour, OK? Ianto nodded. "Sweet dreams, Ianto. Welcome home."


	34. Settlement

SUMMARY: The second part of Ianto's Christmas Eve with with his family. Will his family welcome him with open arms, or will they kick him to the curb? This chpater is rated PG for language.

_**There can be no settlement of a great cause without discussion, and people will not discuss a cause until their attention is drawn to it. William Jennings Bryant**_

* * *

Ianto felt much better after his nap. Dinner was surprisingly enjoyable. David and Mica peppered Ianto with questions about his secret agent activities.

"Do you get to carry a gun?" David asked, "cause that would be so cool."

Ianto explained that he did more mundane jobs like classifying and filing data and reports. Seeing David's disappointment he added, '_but sometimes I get to work with the secret agents. I could tell you about them, but then I'd have to kill you.'_

David smirked, "Yeah, right, like you could kill someone." Ianto shrugged.

"Oi, I'm gonna kill someone if they don't start showing some manners," Johnny warned David.

Mica wanted to know if he got to drive a fast car. '_I don't have any car right now. In fact, we borrowed Gwen's car to see if I can drive with stick shift. We're going to try that out tomorrow morning ' _

Johnny queried, "Why wouldn't you be able to drive?"

Ianto explained about the diminished strength and dexterity in his right hand and how he had trouble with some tasks like buttoning small buttons and twisting off the tops of jars. Rhiannon was terribly distressed by this news.

'_It's really not that bad. My new dress shirts have French cuffs; it's actually easier for me to use cufflinks than to try to work with those tiny buttons they put on shirt cuffs. Shoot, I don't think I have any cufflinks…I'll have to borrow some from Stephen or Bryan. Besides I'm glad I have these problems to worry about, I almost didn't you know.' _It only took a moment for Rhiannon and Johnny to understand what Ianto was referring to_._

"Well, I'm glad you have both your hands," Mica piped up. Owen was shocked that Mica understood what Ianto had very obliquely mentioned. He looked at Johnny, then Rhiannon and then Ianto for an explanation.

Rhiannon sighed. "Yeah, she's _just_ like Ianto in physical appearance as well as that uncanny ability to know what you're thinking."

Dinner continued uneventfully and they began to talk about New Years. "Ianto and I have been invited to a very posh party at Brigadier Hamilton's for New Years. That's why we had to get him a new suit. He has a couple of nice ones already, but they don't fit at all. Hopefully, once he puts on some weight we can get them altered to fit properly."

Owen realized that they didn't have a clue who The Brigadier was. "The Brigadier, he's the one who has been overseeing care for the survivors. Ianto had his own UNIT medic in London and has been staying with one of the Brigadiers son's now that he isn't in in-patient rehab anymore. Yeah, he's been kind of like a father to Ianto these last six months."

'_And Owen has been like a mother to me, he scolds me worse than you do,' he said to Mum._

Johnny translated, listened to Mum's reply and then translated again for Owen. "She says she likes you even better; she could tell you were talking good care of her boy."

Owen smiled at Mum and nodded.

Soon dinner was over, and with some fussing and cajoling with Mica and a few threats from Johnny to David, the kids got ready for bed. The adults still sat at the table drinking coffee.

Johnny looked at Ianto. "Now that the kids have gone to bed, can I ask you something? I've really never understood what an Information Architect does. Surely you're doing more than just filing stuff?"

'_It's hard to explain. The most important part of the job is trying to see connections between seemingly random events or pieces of information. And then coding or describing the information in a format where it can be easily retrieved or matched against new data. Kind of like having pieces to a puzzle, and figuring out how they go together when your not sure what the finished product looks like.'_

"That's why you've got all these government people checking on activities of suspected terrorists including their phone calls and Internet access, travel plans and the like," Johnny concluded.

'_That's exactly right, because if they intercept several strange communications about crazy glue, then maybe that's code for a bomb or something.'_

"Or maybe you just have a few head cases who love to talk about crazy glue," Owen added. Everyone smiled.

Rhiannon wanted to ask something, but was afraid that Ianto would be upset. Ianto looked at her and asked her what she was afraid to ask.

"Oi, see what I mean, just like Mica." She turned to Owen, "he'd do that as a kid, ya know, it was kind of creepy."

"Ianto, do they have any idea who was behind the attack at Canary Wharf? Is anyone going to be held responsible?"

Ianto took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. _'Honestly, someone knows something, but whatever it is they don't want the public to know. And I have signed numerous secrecy and nondisclosure agreements that are still in force so I don't think I should be saying anything that I think. I'm sorry, I really am, but I think its best we don't talk about it.'_

Rhiannon and Johnny had been patiently translating all of the conversation for Mum, and she began to speak angrily in Welsh. When she finished, Johnny explained, "She's convinced it was the IRA. Says they've never really wanted peace and now they're still bombing but are too cowardly to admit it. And the British government doesn't want to jeopardize the so-called peace treaty, so they won't admit that they know who it is. Well, that would explain, perhaps, her dislike for your lady friend in London." Ianto nodded.

Johnny continued, "Personally, a lot of my mates think its aliens. Yeah, little green men or something. They say that they've been responsible for all the strange goings-on in London every Christmas. Good thing you're here then. What do think, Ianto?"

Ianto shot Owen a quick glance that Johnny did not miss. He sighed, '_Do you really think it's true? Little green men from Mars coming here in their spacecrafts for what? What would London or Cardiff have for that matter that they would want? Trust me, if there are aliens, they'd be landing in Washington or Delhi or Beijing, somewhere where there might be some power or wealth that they wanted.'_

Johnny shrugged; he had no idea what to think.

They talked on for hours catching up on the last five years; about Mum's condition, Johnny's jobs, David and Mica's school, old friends and neighbors as well as changes to Cardiff. Ianto was surprised at how many of his old classmates were married with children or married and now divorced.

'_Oi, I can't believe Michael has two kids with his first wife and one with a second wife. Why he's not much older than me, 25 or 26, right?'_

"Yeah," Rhiannon sighed, "not much to do around here but get married and have babies. Which is why I'm really glad you left and got an education. I'm not glad that you didn't keep contact with us, but really happy you're back. Ianto, do you think this is a permanent move back to Cardiff or what?"

Ianto thought it best to be honest. _'I don't know Rhi, I really don't. I've got work for now with Three but I don't know if its something that will last long term or if there's anything else I could do for them. Captain Jack would probably keep me on the payroll indefinitely if I know him, but I don't want to be a charity case. Seriously, if I don't stay on at Torchwood Three, I'm probably looking at moving back to London or some other major city at some point, but I promise if that were to happen, I won't be the missing in action again.'_

"And just remember, the train between Cardiff and London takes less than three hours, so we'll hold you to that promise," added Owen.

"Its probably none of my business, but are you going to get any settlement from the whole Canary Wharf business?" Johnny inquired.

Ianto hadn't heard anything about settlements and looked at Owen puzzled. "Sorry Ianto, I totally forgot about the settlements. There have been settlements made with the families of all the victims in the last six months. That's public knowledge. There's a meeting in London sometime in January with the UNIT Canary Wharf Task Force including The Brigadier, Captain Jack, Archie from Torchwood Two as well as representatives of the Queen's Treasury and Parliament to discuss settlements for the survivors. There are only a handful of you, so I think they are going to look at each survivor individually.

'_I don't want their blood money. It's not going to change anything that happened there!' _

Rhiannon and Johnny were surprised at the bitterness of Ianto's statement. Owen wasn't surprised at all. "Listen, Torchwood One truly screwed up on the whole situation. But all of the higher ups are gone. Dead, Ianto. There isn't anyone to hold responsible. Yvonne Hartmann was one of the first killed and con…a, well killed. All her direct reports were also killed by the terrorists. But for the families that were left behind without a breadwinner or lost someone dear to them, the only thing they can do is to pay some type of restitution. "

Ianto shook his head with disgust. '_Well, I'm not dead, so what do I need a settlement for?'_

"So if you can't find work, or at some point are too disabled to work you won't have to go on the dole. Or maybe you'll need some modifications to your car, or something else that costs more because of your disability, its only right that you have some money to cover those expenses. Listen, you can put it into a trust and never touch it if you don't need it. Use some of it for David and Mica's university expenses. Give it away to charity. Once its yours, you can do with it what you like. But seriously, mate; no one knows what the future holds. I'd tuck it away somewhere safe in case you need it when you are old and gray."

"There's wisdom in what Owen's saying, Ianto," Johnny told him with concern. "What if something comes up later from your injuries that you didn't anticipate? At least the one thing you won't have to worry about is money. I'm now going to be terribly rude and ask Owen what he thinks you'll get." Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Yes filthy lucre, I know. The settlements have been from around 1.2 million pounds to just over 3 million pounds. I think he'll get around the average which was almost 2 million pounds."

Ianto was shocked. _'Two million pounds. I don't know if that's a ridiculously large or ridiculously small settlement for the loss of my voice and some use of my hand. But I can tell you, they could keep their money if I could have my voice back.'_

"Ianto, I'm sorry, I know how you feel. But they can't do that so what else can they do? And don't you even think about refusing it. The Queen has made these settlements her personal responsibility and you would disgrace yourself, your family and Torchwood if you refused."

'_Why would anyone care? I'm nobody.'_

"Ianto, the press is developing a growing fascination with the survivors. Since you've been in a UNIT medical facility, and then secluded at Stephen's, they haven't been able to get to you. That's one of the reasons The Brigadier and Captain Jack thought you'd be better off in Cardiff. Here you're the hometown hero and the Cardiff press has a little more respect for privacy than the London press does. But don't kid yourself, at some point someone's going to start asking a lot of intrusive questions and we're going to have to prepare you for that."

"And you can bet that as we get closer to the one year anniversary of the attack, the requests for interviews and the like are going to intensify. Yeah, didn't mean to spoil your Christmas, but you've been sheltered from the media circus up till now, but that's going to change once you're living independently. I know The Brigadier is going to spend some time with you and some UNIT public relations folks after New Years working with you on this."

Ianto sighed. _'Maybe Santa could bring me a Taser for Christmas. Sounds like I might need one to deal with the press.'_

Mum said something which Johnny translated. "Mum says if they pick on her boy, they are going to have to deal with her, and they'll be very sorry." Ianto looked at his mother in her wheelchair and realized that her love for him was unwavering. Except for the mild scolding she'd given him earlier, she was totally supportive and protective of him. She didn't even seem to care if he was dating a man!

And Rhi and Johnny, they were acting the same way. They weren't holding a grudge and they welcomed him home with open arms. He felt terribly guilty at how he had turned his back on them five years ago, feeling they weren't good enough for him. And now here he was, damaged goods, and they did nothing but make him feel loved and accepted. He felt tears welling up in his eyes.

'_I have the best family anyone could ask for. Really. I don't deserve it. I've been such a fool, I'm so sorry for the time we lost.' _He couldn't help himself as tears began to run down his face.

Johnny and Rhiannon pulled Ianto up off his chair into an embrace_. _"We love you Ianto, we're your family," Johnny said quietly. "And what Rhi told you before, about wanting you to be happy, that's true for me as well. Don't you dare shut us out again. Cause like it or not, you're stuck with us, mate."

"And you, Owen, are stuck with us too," Rhiannon said, turning to Owen and hugging him tight. "For better or worse, you're family now; welcome to the Jones'."

Mum signaled that she wanted to hug Ianto and Owen as well so they both went over and hugged her together. She said something that had Ianto laughing. 'S_he says it's been many years since she's had two handsome men hug her at the same time. And no, I'm not going to ask her when the last time was.'_

It was getting on 11 PM and they began to clean the table and discuss plans for tomorrow. Rhiannon pointed out that Ianto and Owen weren't going to want to come over early to see the kids open their presents. They both nodded in agreement. They decided to meet at Noon on Christmas day to share an early dinner. That way they could make an early evening of it in preparation for Ianto having to go back to London the next day.

As they drove back to Owen's flat, Ianto and Owen reflected on how the day had progressed. "See, I told you your family was nice. You got yourself all worked up for nothing."

'_Yeah, I'm a daft fool for not wanting to see them. I think this is probably the best Christmas I've ever had. I'm with my family, my big brother, I have a job, things are looking up.'_

Owen snorted. "And since you won't say it, I will. You've also got the hottest stud around wrapped around your little finger. Ianto you are going to be one busy boy when you get back here."

'_You think?'_

"I know."

'_Who am I to argue with your brilliance?'_


	35. It Was The Best of Times

SUMMARY: Ianto and Owen spend Christmas Day with the Jones Family. This chapter is rated G, Its Christmas with Ianto's family, after all!

_Title is from the opening line of a Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens) 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' __The Worst of Times (Christmas at Gwen & Rhys' house) is featured in the next chapter. __  
_  
A graphic for this chapter may be found at my journal which may be found on profile page under the entry, "It was the best of time".

* * *

Christmas Day started early at the Jones residence. Mica and David were up by 6 AM and wanted to open their presents. They knew they had to wait for their parents to get up, so they checked every few minutes on them to see if they were awake.

"Do they look awake to you?" Mica whispered none too quietly to David.

"Are their eyes open? No, then they're not awake," David said sarcastically.

The children left their parent's bedroom for the third time. Rhiannon and Johnny laughed quietly after the children were gone.

"Oi, how many more times do you think we can fake them out?"

"Oh Johnny, you know how much they want to open their presents, let's just get up. You know they are not going to leave us alone until we do."

Rhiannon got up a few minutes later and went downstairs to start the coffee.

"Can we open them now, can we!"

Rhiannon yawned. "How about some breakfast first, then presents. Hopefully your Tad will be up by then." The kids grumbled a bit but finally sat down to eat some cereal.

Johnny finally made it downstairs by 7 AM. Mum came down a few minutes later.

"Who was making all that racket," Mum asked in Welsh. 'I thought there was a herd of Welsh ponies tromping around the lounge earlier.

"Its Christmas Gram and look, Santa was here!" Mica's eyes were wide as she surveyed the additional presents under the tree as well as the empty plate and cup that had held Santa's milk and cookies.

David went to say something and Johnny shot him a look. David shrugged, looked right at Johnny and remarked, "Yeah, Santa must be awfully big and fat with all the snacks he had last night."

"Santa needs to keep his energy levels up just in case he needs to spank some naughty boy." David didn't look intimidated in the least.

Everyone took turns opening presents. Since money was pretty tight most of the gifts Johnny and Rhiannon had gotten the kids and Mum and each other were practical things like new coats and boots for the winter. When David and Mica opened Ianto's first presents and saw the hats and gloves, Rhiannon could see they were a little disappointed. "Look, they go perfectly with your new coats. And they're cashmere, that's very posh you know."

The adults were very pleased with their gifts from Ianto. They all remarked on the quality of the sweaters and the shawl. Rhiannon shook her head, "he always had good taste. These must have set him back a bit."

Johnny grimaced, "yeah, and we didn't get him much, did we? Just some socks and a box of chocolates. I'm a little embarrassed, really."

Rhiannon smiled, "I took the liberty of adding something to his gifts. You probably don't remember but I have a pair of cufflinks that our Tad used to wear. They're real gold and have Tad's initials on them. I was going to give them to David some day, but I think Ianto will enjoy them more."

Rhiannon turned to David and Mica. "You know there's a second present from Uncle Ianto for each of you." When the kids opened their second gifts, all hell broke loose. David hugged the Lego Pirates Fort box tightly and twirled in circles. "This is the best Christmas present ever!" Mica was so overwhelmed with her Barbie Playset that she jumped up and down until she was breathless.

Rhiannon and Johnny smiled. This was turning out to be the best Christmas they'd had in many years. "You make sure you thank Uncle Ianto properly when he gets here," Rhiannon admonished.

"Oh, and Uncle Owen asked that I give you these," she said handing each child an envelope. David and Mica were thrilled to find that the envelopes contained gift cards from The Entertainer Toy Shop. Rhiannon and Johnny were speechless when they saw the each card was in the amount of £30. "And also thank Uncle Owen; that was very, very nice of him." Quietly, to Johnny she added, "I'm going to wrap up that bottle of champagne we were going to take to the New Years party for Owen. We can get another bottle during the week."

***

Owen let Ianto drive the Honda to Rhiannon's house. He had some difficulty shifting but managed to get there without any major mishaps. _'Whew, that was harder than I thought it was going to be. I'm going to have to talk to one of the physical therapists when I get back to see what I can do to strengthen my grip for driving.'_

Owen nodded. He was surprised that Ianto had driven as well as he did. He really didn't think that Ianto would be able to manage a stick shift, but as long as he was cautious about his driving, Owen reckoned that he'd be OK.

Owen and Ianto arrived at Rhiannon's around noon. Ianto looked more rested and relaxed than he had Christmas Eve. Now that he wasn't worried about the reception he would receive from his family he felt like a huge burden had been lifted off him. Additionally, Owen had convinced him to take a very small dose of an anti-anxiety medicine to help prevent another panic attack.

The kids were hugging Ianto and Owen while talking excitedly about their presents the minute they came into the house. Rhiannon was just beaming at the way her kids had taken to Ianto. And Johnny had been right about Owen; he was a good person and not just to Ianto.

Owen and Ianto were finally able to make their way over to greet Rhiannon, Johnny and Mum. "Ianto, as you can see, your gifts were a smashing success. And Owen, you shouldn't have, really. If you both sit down we have a small gift for each of you."

Owen unwrapped the bottle of champagne and the chocolates (originally intended for Ianto) and smiled. "I have the perfect person to share these with."

'_Does her name happen to be Tosh?" _Ianto asked.

"You never know, and I'm not one to kiss and tell."

Rhiannon handed Ianto two gifts. "Open the soft one first; it's just a silly gift. Then the small box, OK?"

Ianto opened the soft package and pulled out two pairs of sock, one decorated with reindeers and one with Christmas trees. "_I guess this is payback for teasing David about pajamas with bunnies. But they'll be great with jeans." _

Ianto couldn't imagine what was in the small box. He opened it up and gasped. It contained the most beautiful gold cufflinks with the initials SJ on them. "They were your Tad's, Ianto; I want you to have them." Turning to Owen, "our father's first name was Selwyn, which would be Julian in English."

Ianto choked up a bit. "_Oh Rhiannon, these are brilliant. Thank you, I think this is the best Christmas I've ever had."_

They had a wonderful dinner with Christmas ham and potatoes and brussel sprouts, followed by a traditional pudding as well as a chocolate truffle. They were finishing dinner right at 3 PM when the Queen's speech was broadcast. They turned it on and were not surprised to hear the Queen speak about the dedication of the armed forces in Afghanistan. They were astonished to hear her also speak about the sacrifices of ordinary citizens in the fight against terrorism and referring specifically to the survivors of Torchwood One.

"Oi, let the media free-for-all begin," Owen snarked. Ianto just shrugged. 'That medication has really taken the edge off Ianto,' Owen observed. 'He might need more of it over the next few months.'

After the speech, Ianto worked on the Lego Fort with David while the rest of the family played the Swansea edition of Monopoly.*

As usual, Mum won, having gotten Te Morgan's Hotel (the best property), as well as the National Waterfront Museum and Mumbles Pier. Rhiannon only managed to snag Liberty Stadium, and Mica got Shelter Cymru (the least expensive property). Johnny spent most of his time in Jail and only managed to acquire the Dylan Thomas Center.

It was only 7 PM when everyone started yawning. Hugs and kisses were exchanged all around and Ianto promised to call Rhiannon as soon as he was back in Cardiff.

As they got into Gwen's car, Owen's phone rang. He saw it was Tosh's number and answered the call. Tosh sounded a little odd, not upset, but a little disoriented. "Are you still at Ianto's sister's house?"

"No we were just leaving, is everything alright?' Owen queried.

"We seem to be having a very unusual Christmas dinner." Tosh began to laugh uncontrollably. Then she hung up the phone.

Owen looked at Ianto and told him that he thought that something was wrong at Gwen's. "That was Tosh and she was very subdued and then she started laughing like a hyena…almost a little hysterical. We're going over there right now and sort things out."

Ianto nodded. He was still riding the high of the day and only hoped that whatever was going on at Gwen's wouldn't spoil what had to be the best time he'd every had with his family.

_*This is for real, the first Welsh edition of monopoly featured Swansea to the disappointment of the residents of Cardiff. The edition was produced in both an English and Welsh language version. There's a picture of the Swansea monopoly set at my journal._


	36. It Was the Worst of Times A Torchwood

SUMMARY: It's the worst Christmas ever at Gwen & Rhys' flat. Come join the hilarity of a drunken, stoner, naked, burning down the house kind of evening.

RATING: **Chapter 35 - T/M It's Christmas with Jack after all. Alcohol and drug use, Strip Trivial Pursuit, sexy underwear (pictures at my home page), language. **

**The Team's Christmas Undies may be found at my home page; a link is on my profile page. Look for the entry: It was the Worst of Times - ****Really nothing worse than you'd see in a Victoria's Secret ad. It's just showing Tosh and Gwen's secrets instead. Let me know what you think!  
**

**_Title from: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Dicken's, A Tale of Two Cities. _**_**  
**_**_What? You were expecting "God bless us everyone?"_**

* * *

**Authors Note: We are going even more AU in this Chapter in terms of timelines. In the TV series, Gwen and Rhys' engagement happens sometime while Jack is AWOL. That would be sometime between February and May of 2007. This is Christmas of 2006. And Jack will go AWOL, but not until after the First Anniversary of Canary Wharf (June 2007).**

And don't be making fun of the artwork - it's Christmas, and it's the thought that counts, right???

******

Christmas dinner at Gwen and Rhys' was set for 2 PM. As Rhys' mother, Brenda had arrived the previous afternoon, things got off to a rocky start. She had spent Christmas Eve sniping at Gwen until Gwen thought that either her head would explode or she might kill her future mother-in-law.

When Rhys announced that he and Gwen were officially engaged, Brenda replied with her usual aplomb. "Gwen, dear, I'm so glad you and Rhys are finally getting married. I was sure that you were going to get knocked up and force Rhys to marry you. You're not pregnant are you? Not that I'm not looking forward to lots of grandchildren, and with hips like yours, you were made for having babies."

Gwen gritted her teeth. 'Thirty-six hours, I just have to survive the next thirty-six hours and then the old cow will be out of our lives until the wedding.'

Brenda was up at 6 AM on Christmas Day. She made so much noise rummaging through the kitchen, that Gwen & Rhys had no choice but to get up. Rhys grumbled, "You'd think she's give us a little peace and quiet…we'd better get up or she'll be going through our bankbooks next."

They stumbled into the kitchen to find Brenda staring into their refrigerator with distaste. "Where's the duck?"

"Well, Brenda, you may recall that last year you were concerned about the duck, so we thought we'd go with a nice roast beef this year instead."

Brenda shook her head in obvious disgust. "It's a Williams tradition to have duck at Christmas. You know Gwen, if you are going to be joining our family, you really are going to have to learn to adopt our ways."

Gwen couldn't help but wonder if there might be a Williams family tradition of matricide. Rhys knew that they had a long day ahead of them, so tried to smooth things over. "The roast beef was my idea, so if you want to be mad you'll have to be mad at me."

Brenda huffed, "I knew she'd force all these Southern Welsh customs on you. Why you didn't marry that lovely girl Tegwan you were so found of I'll never understand."

Rhys lost it completely. "Mum, Tegwan was my girlfriend when I was twelve years old! Its time you accepted that Gwen is going to be my wife and keep a civil tongue in your head!"

Brenda looked shocked. "I'm just a concerned mother, Rhys; I only want the best for you. There's no reason for you to be so mean to me…on Christmas yet." She dabbed at her eyes with tissue for a dramatic effect.

Gwen really didn't want to dial into what she thought of as the Brenda channel – all about Brenda, all the time. "Since the company will be here at two, why don't we open our presents now." Brenda was actually agreeable to that suggestion.

"Mum, you haven't commented, but I gave Gwen her engagement ring last week."

Brenda sighed, "Let me see…" The ring was lovely with a single one carat square cut diamond set in platinum. She looked directly at Gwen, "a little gaudy don't you think."

Gwen bit back a smile. Her future mother-in-law had arrived yesterday in a sparkly gold jumpsuit. She couldn't wait to see what she had planned to wear to today's dinner.

"Well, I think it's beautiful," Rhys interjected, "and I picked it out for the most beautiful woman in the world." He smiled at Gwen and gave her a kiss. "And we decided to take the money we would normally spend on each other for Christmas and save it for our wedding." Brenda looked like she might get physically ill.

Brenda opened her presents from Gwen and Rhys. Naturally, she had a criticism about each item. "Oh, this scarf will never hold up, it will have to be exchanged for something more practical. I don't wear flannel pajamas, they're too warm. Toffee gets stuck in my dentures; you might as well keep it. An umbrella! Now that I can use, but the color is awful…"

Gwen knew this routine well. She smiled at Brenda and handed her an envelope with the receipts for all the items. "Well, here are the receipts so you shouldn't have any trouble exchanging them. You know Brenda, would you prefer we get you a Howell's gift card next year? That way you can just get what you like."

Brenda looked horrified. "Why that's so impersonal. I can't believe you would suggest that!" She handed over several packages to Rhys and a small envelope to Gwen.

Gwen said that Rhys should open his presents first. He received a lovely Burberry cashmere trainer in gray, a Tumi wallet and a box of chocolates from Harrods.

"Thank you Mum, they're all lovely," Rhys said sincerely. He got up and gave his mother a big kiss.

Gwen opened her envelope and found a £20 gift card to Waterstone's book store. "Speaking of impersonal…" Gwen began.

"Oh you are just too difficult to shop for," Benda interrupted. "I was thinking you could use it to buy some practical books on cooking and house decorating. Goodness knows, you obviously need improvement in those areas."

"You know Mum, why don't you turn on the telly, Gwen and I need to start getting ready for our guests. They'll be here at two and we have a lot to do."

Gwen and Rhys went into the kitchen. Gwen was seething with anger. She started to pull out pots and pans letting them clatter noisily. Rhys took her in his arms and whispered "Yeah, your right, she is an old bat, but she's the only mother I've got."

Gwen whispered back. "What I can't understand is how a wonderful man like you came out of her home."

"My father, may he rest in peace, was a saint, truly a saint. I'll go set the table, OK?"

Out in the lounge, Brenda smiled to herself. The day was going perfectly.

***

By 2 PM everyone was ready for Jack and Tosh to arrive. Gwen had changed into black silk pants and a sheer red silk top. Rhys had on black pants and shirt with a dark green trainer. Brenda had on faux velvet pants and a trainer with a sequined Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on it. 'Oh duw, the nose actually blinks,' Gwen mused.

The roast was in the oven along with browned potatoes, giving the whole flat a heavenly smell. They had salad prepared and the rolls and peas and carrots could be warmed up in the microwave just before they were served. The prawns and cucumbers on toast were arranged artfully on trays. The table was set with an ivory antique lace tablecloth and beautiful bone china that Gwen had inherited from her grandmother. Silver candlesticks with long red tapers were in the center of the table. Brenda cast a critical eye at the table and had to admit it looked quite nice...except for the space where a proper centerpiece should be.

"Rhys, that's a lovely job you did on the table. Did you forget the centerpiece darling?"

"No mum, Tosh is bringing one. And Jack is bringing the wine."

"Tosh, that's not Welsh, is it? Is it even English?"

Gwen thought 'here we go.' "Tosh is short for Toshiko. Her family is originally from Japan."

"Well I hope she speaks decent English, I'd hate to have to listen to that foreign gibberish all evening."

Gwen and Rhys both rolled their eyes. 'Its 2:10,' Gwen thought, 'where the hell are Jack and Tosh?' Rhys smiled, "Well, I think she does, seeing she was born in England, attended Oxford and Cambridge and has advanced degrees in medicine and computers."

"Oh, those Orientals are such a bunch of overachievers," Brenda remarked. "Now Jack's your boss, right Gwen?" Gwen nodded. "Please tell me he's a proper Englishman."

Gwen and Rhys burst out laughing. "Oi, he's anything but," Rhys snarked. He's an American and proper is not a word you would use in the same sentence as Captain Jack Harkness."

As if on cue, the doorbell to the flat rang. Rhys buzzed Jack and Tosh into the lobby of their building. Moments later there was a knock on the door . Jack and Tosh came into the flat laughing. "Sorry we're late, we had a little car trouble on the way over," Jack explained. He dropped his voice and whispered, "We had a call for another weevil in the same park from the other night. We drove over, and I zapped it. Twice. It's in the boot of the SUV, but I don't think it will be waking up anytime soon."

Jack kissed Gwen on the cheek and shook Rhys' hand. Loudly Jack announced, "You both look fabulous…and is that roast beef I smell; I'm in heaven. I hope you don't mind that I brought some wine," he said handing over three very expensive bottles of Shiraz to Rhys. "And Ianto got a present of chocolate brownies from Stephen, The Brigadier's son, but apparently there's rum in them so he didn't want to take them to where there were children. He asked me to give these to you and to warn you to watch out because apparently Stephen is a bit of a lush."

"Wine and rum brownies, perfect!" snarked Gwen.

Rhys dropped his voice. "Yeah I have a feeling that we may all do a bit of heavy drinking tonight, Mum's in rare form."

They all turned and looked at Rhys' mother sitting on the couch looking quite put out. Jack winked at everyone and walked over to her. "And who is the gorgeous lady Gwen? You didn't tell me your sister was coming for Christmas." Brenda raised her hand to shake Jack's, but instead he kissed her hand and gave her his patented thousand watt smile. Brenda flushed, "Oh you can call me Brenda, I insist." She looked at Jack closely thinking, 'well he might be a bit younger than me, but surely not that much younger. And trouser braces, I haven't seen a man wearing those in years. _Very_ sexy."

Tosh gave the centerpiece to Gwen and walked over to greet Brenda. "How do you do, Mrs. Williams, it's a pleasure to meet you. I just adore your sweater." Brenda was amazed how well spoken Tosh was. Given what Rhys and Gwen had said earlier about Brenda Tosh wanted to make sure that Brenda wouldn't be able to criticize her manner of speaking.

'Such a polite young lady, and look at how tastefully she's dressed, unlike my future daughter-in-law,' Brenda observed. Tosh was wearing a tea length red jersey dress. While it wasn't overly tight, Rhys couldn't help admiring how well the dress accentuated what he thought of as Tosh's best bits.

Tosh whispered, "Rhys, stop staring at my boobs, that's so rude. It's something I'd expect from Jack, but not you." Rhys at least had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Well looking's fine, Mr. Williams, but no touching," Gwen warned.

"But where's the fun in that?" Jack laughed. Brenda had come over to join the conversation but they were all talking so quickly that she was having trouble keeping up.

"Gwen, be a darling and get me a drink will you." Gwen was happy to do so. Maybe they could get Brenda drunk enough that she'd find out something about her that she could hold over her head for the next oh, twenty or so years.

"We're having prawn and cucumber appetizers, so what's everyone want to drink. I have a bottle of Pinot Grigio if anyone's interested." Gwen, Tosh and Rhys opted for that, while Brenda asked if they could make her a martini. Jack said he'd just have water.

Gwen and Rhys went back into the kitchen to get the food and drinks. "A martini? You're mother wants a bloody martini! What does she think we are, a restaurant?"

"Relax," Rhys assured her, "she likes her martinis so dry that they are really just straight gin. And I do think we have a bottle of that around here somewhere. He searched in some seldom used cabinets and found an old half full bottle of cheap gin. "This ought to be just fine."

Gwen got out a large tumbler, put some ice in and filled it two thirds full of gin.

"Oi, are you trying to kill my Mum?"

"If I said yes, would you be upset?" They both sniggered.

They brought out the drinks and appetizers for everyone to enjoy in the lounge. Brenda stared at her glass. "Oh, I'm so sorry Brenda, we don't have any proper martini glasses, so I hope that will be OK," Gwen gushed. Brenda shrugged and took a rather large gulp.

Rhys stood up. "I'd like to propose a toast. To all our family and friends whether here in Cardiff or in distant lands, we wish them all a Christmas of joy, and a healthy and happy New Year. Cheers."

After a few drinks everyone was feeling a lot more at ease. Jack flirted outrageously with Brenda, complimenting her hair and her clothes and laughing at her very boring and tedious stories. She was so taken by Jack that she virtually ignored Gwen, Rhys and Tosh, much to their delight.

Just as Gwen was going to ask everyone to be seated at the dining room table, Brenda noticed the time. "Oh Gwen, we must hear The Queen's speech first," she said turning on the television.

'Oh no you don't,' thought Gwen, 'you're not ruining this dinner. Good thing the roast is supposed to 'rest' before its cut.' She went and took the roast out of the oven. She cut into the center and saw that it was perfect, pink in the center and warm. 'Have a nap you little cow, while we deal with the big cow in the lounge.'

As expected, The Queen was reviewing the year gone by. When she mentioned the dedication of the troops in Afghanistan, everyone nodded in approval. But just like at Rhiannon's house, they were very surprised when she made her remarks concerning the survivors of Canary Wharf.

"Shit," Jack said, "I hope Ianto's OK."

Rhys thought about what The Queen had said. "I wouldn't worry too much, Jack, they didn't show any pictures and Owen's with him at Rhiannon's, right?" Jack nodded. "And I'm sure that Owen would call if anything serious happened."

Jack knew that Rhys was probably right, but he also knew he was going to call Owen when he got back to the Hub to make sure that everything was alright.

Dinner got off to a good start. Gwen served the salads and then Rhys brought the roast out on a large platter. Gwen followed behind with the rolls and vegetables. Everyone commented on how wonderful the roast looked and smelled. Everyone, except Brenda of course.

Rhys began to carve the roast. "Ok, who likes well done." Tosh and Brenda said they did. He cut slices from the end for them. He then cut the roast in the middle and started to serve up nice pink slices to Jack and Gwen. Brenda was appalled. "That's not even cooked! They'll end up with Mad Cow disease. Jack don't eat that, you'll get sick! Rhys, if you eat that beef, I will cry, I swear I will."

Rhys cut a small piece off and stuffed it in his mouth. "Oi, can't wait to meet the Grim Reaper," he snarked. Brenda did her pretend crying again and Jack pretended to be sympathetic.

"You know, you try to raise them right, but sometimes you just have to throw in the towel. Here have some more wine." Brenda took the wine but did not seem mollified. Gwen, Rhys and Tosh snickered. They all thought that Jack's statement might have made a bigger impact if his mouth wasn't stuffed with too much roast beef.

"That's a good one Jack, you talking about other people's table manners."

Tosh and Gwen were laughing so hard that they were crying. "Duw, Rhys, you should talk. No in fact you shouldn't. Talk about too much food." Rhys suddenly realized that he had been talking with just as much food in his mouth as Jack. He started to laugh as well.

By the time they got to dessert, they were just finishing up the last bottle of wine. Gwen had made a gingerbread spice cake and had a plate of Christmas cookies as well. She brought out the tin of brownies repeating Jack's warnings about the rum.

"Oh hell," Rhys said as he grabbed one, "the more I drink, the more I'm enjoying tonight." Everyone agreed. They each had one brownie as well as the cake except for Jack. Jack had a small slice of cake, but ate at least three brownies before anyone noticed.

"Oi, these brownies are terrific! Only problem is the more I eat, the more I want to eat. Got anything salty like crisps?"

They all stopped for a moment, and then began to laugh again. "Jack, sweetheart," Gwen queried, "Did Ianto tell you specifically that the brownies had rum in them?"

"Well no," Jack replied exhaling brownie crumbs as he spoke, "the note from Stephen said they were only for adults…so we just assumed…Oh they're not, are they?"

Tosh was wiping tears off her cheeks. "Speaking as a medical authority, I'm pretty sure you just consumed three hash brownies. This is going to make the game playing after dinner even more interesting than we thought."

Brenda had no idea what they were talking about, but she really didn't care. She took another brownie. "You know Gwen, I don't think I give you enough credit. Your cake was fantastic. And these brownies, you must give me the recipe."

"Oi Jack, now you've gone and got my Mum stoned."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Jack snarked. "Anyone up for some Naked Trivial Pursuit?"

"I thought we agreed on Strip Trivial Pursuit; I wore my Christmas undies just for you," Tosh gasped and covered her mouth. "Did I just say that?"

"Just one problem, I really don't want Mum to get naked."

"I can get as naked as the next person," Brenda retorted. "I'm not one bit ashamed of my body."

"Fine by me," Jack announced.

They played for a while, and soon everyone had missed a few questions. Tosh and Gwen and Brenda cleverly removed an earring or a ring as they made mistakes. Jack removed his braces and his watch while Rhys had lost his socks, belt and sweater.

Just as things were getting a little dicey for Rhys they hear a loud bang from the outside. They ran to the window and saw that the boot of the SUV was open.

"Oh no, the weevil's on the loose!"

"Tosh, you stay here with Brenda; Gwen you grab the brownies, Rhys get the rest of that gin and let's go," Jack shouted as he ran for the door.

They ran down the stairs to the lobby and headed outside. Surprisingly, the weevil was wandering around the street a little disoriented. "That second stun must have really put it out of sorts," Rhys observed.

"Yeah, well let's not too cocky. You both stay here and make sure no one sees it. I'll see if I can drug it with the gin and the brownies."

"Why don't you just stun it with the gun from the SUV."

"Because the keys to the SUV are in my coat pocket, upstairs in your flat."

I've been redeemed," shouted Rhys. "The great Jack Harkness has lost the car keys. My Christmas wish has come true."

"Will you shut up," Gwen hissed, "you're going to attract the entire neighborhood."

Jack grabbed the gin and the brownies and approached the weevil. The weevil looked dazed and confused. "Hey big guy, its Christmas, how about a little Christmas cheer?" He tossed a brownie to the weevil. The weevil picked it up eyeing it suspiciously. He sniffed the brownie and stuck his tongue out tentatively to taste it.

The weevil ate the brownie in two bites. He grunted, hopped around a bit, and belched loudly. 'Talk about bad table manners, he could win the gold medal,' Jack thought.

"Yeah, big guy, here are some more." he said laying the tin on the roof of the SUV.

"And you'll need something to wash them down with, right," he said putting the gin bottle next to the tin.

The weevil began to devour the brownies. After eating almost a dozen more, he looked curiously at the bottle. Jack had taken the top off so the weevil would have easy access to the gin. He sniffed the bottle for a bit and tried to stick his tongue into the bottle. Though the weevil's tongue was disgustingly long, he couldn't reach the liquid inside. Jack motioned that he should hold the bottle up and tilt it into his mouth. The weevil watched as he repeated the motion and then took the bottle and did exactly as Jack had demonstrated.

As he got his first taste of gin, he sputtered a little but continued to drink until the bottle was empty. "Come on, pass out already, I really don't want to have to shoot you." The weevil began to stagger.

Gwen and Rhys ran up to Jack. "There are some carolers coming down the street, we better get him out of here." Fortunately, the weevil was now holding onto a lamppost to keep from falling. "Hell, let's grab him and get him into the flat and truss him up somehow."

In the back of his mind, Jack sensed that this was not a good idea. But it was Christmas and they were playing strip Trivial Pursuit, and there was still a chance for naked or nearly naked Tosh and Gwen. No way was he going to miss that for a silly old weevil.

Jack and Rhys grabbed the weevil under its arms and began to drag it toward the lobby. The weevil wasn't helping at all and let its feet drag along the walkway.

The carolers approached. "How about a few songs mates," Jack and Rhys ignored them and dragged the weevil further along. "Hey is he OK, do you need some help?"

Fortunately, the carolers were seeing the weevil from the back so it looked like they were dragging a very large person into the lobby. Gwen stood between them and the weevil obstructing their view.

"No that's OK," Gwen replied, "Uncle Fester just had a little too much Christmas cheer, that's all."

Another caroler commented on how hairy their Uncle was. "Oi," Gwen retorted, "my uncle has a hormone condition, poor fellow. Making fun of the medically challenged on Christmas, you should be ashamed." The carolers slunk away embarrassed.

"Quick, get him to the lift and let's get him into your flat before anyone else sees."

They knocked on the flat door and Tosh opened it and shrieked. "Oh my god, I don't believe it."

"Just let us in, will ya," Jack demanded, "before anyone sees us."

They got the weevil inside the flat and sat it on the couch. It immediately fell over and started snoring.

"OK, now where were we," Jack enquired.

Brenda finally noticed the weevil. "My goodness, what is that?"

"Oh it's some poor drunk homeless guy who was trying to break into the boot of Jack's SUV. We'll just let him sleep it off and then take him to the homeless shelter."

"You should call the police," Brenda insisted.

"Mum, its Christmas, come on." Brenda gave in, but she still felt that any guy that ugly belonged locked up. Gwen cajoled Brenda in sitting next to the slumped over weevil on the pretext of wanted to clear the table. She slipped her cell phone out and surreptitiously took a few photos. 'Got you, you old hag, we'll see how much trouble you give me in the future after seeing these pictures.'

Once the table was cleared, they continued on playing as the weevil snored. "His snores are beginning to annoy me," Gwen informed everyone, "so I'm going to put some Christmas music on."

They sat around the game board for almost another hour, singing along with the Christmas music and losing more pieces of clothing. Tosh excused herself to go to the bathroom and realized that she was wearing only her candy cane striped bra and panties. Something was very wrong about this, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She pulled out her cell phone and called Owen. She told Owen that something strange was happening at the Christmas party. Half way through the call she pictured Owen and Ianto showing up and seeing them all half naked and began to laugh hysterically. "Got to go Owen, bye," she said disconnecting the call.

She went back to the game and Gwen asked her if she was talking to anyone. Tosh couldn't seem to remember. "Don't think so. Hey am I going to be the only one sitting here in my underwear?"

Everyone laughed. She looked around and realized that except for Brenda, they were all practically naked. Jack and Rhys were down to their green Christmas boxer shorts and Gwen was sitting in a red and white fur trimmed camisole and her black pants. Brenda had only taken her numerous rings, other jewelry, and her shoes and socks off.

At her request, Jack and Rhys modeled their boxers for the women. Rhys' had 'Naughty Side' on the front and 'Nice Side' on the back. Tosh thought that he might have them on backwards, but her head was too fuzzy to determine why that might be. Jack's boxers had a picture Santa on the front and 'You're Still on the Naughty List' on the back.

"How come she still has her clothes on?," Tosh pouted pointing at Brenda.

"Cause I have the most jewelry and I've missed fewer questions.," Brenda said haughtily.

"And Jack keeps giving her the answers."

"So why does Jack have almost all his clothes off...oi, why did I even ask that?" Tosh giggled.

The next question was Jack's. It was an easy one but they all knew he was going to miss it on purpose. And Jack did not disappoint. He whipped off his boxers to reveal…

* * *

Everyone, including the weevil screamed!!

**OH MY! WHAT'S JACK GOT UNDER HIS BOXERS?? THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION AS WELL AS MORE FUN AND DEBAUCHERY WILL BE FOUND IN ****_THE WORST CHRISTMAS EVER, PART II._****(Yeah, I know, I'm getting coal in my stocking this year**)


	37. It was the Worst of Times p2

SUMMARY: It's the worst Christmas ever at Gwen & Rhys' flat. Come join the hilarity of a drunken, stoner, naked, burning down the house kind of evening. Chapter rated R - It's Christmas with Jack after all. Alcohol and drug use, Strip Trivial Pursuit, sexy underwear, language.

This part of the story won't make any sense unless you look at the picture on my homepage (see my story page for the link) Its a little racy, but nothing is showing that shouldn't be. (Ok, its not the best manip in the world but hopefully it was Lulz).

And let's have some comments - especially about the picture!

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_(The Trivial Pursuit Game is reaching a critical moment. It's Jack's turn and he's down to his boxers.....)_

The next question was Jack's. It was an easy one but they all knew he was going to miss it on purpose. And Jack did not disappoint. He whipped off his boxers to reveal…

????????? (This is where you go and look at the picture).

Everyone, including the weevil screamed!!

Owen and Ianto were just entering the lobby (having jimmied the building lobby door lock) and heard the screaming coming from Rhys and Gwen's flat. They didn't wait for the elevator and ran up the stairs to the front door. Owen shouldered his way through the door.

"FUCK! It's the attack of the Abominable Snowman!!" yelled Owen.

Ianto couldn't believe his eyes._ 'Oi! Is that a carrot Jack, or are you just glad to see me? '_

Ianto and Owen looked at each other and began to howl with laughter. The weevil sat straight up and began to howl with them.

Owen put on the best straight face he could. "Ok, boys and girls, what's going on here?

"Well it's really all Ianto's fault," Gwen said as she started laughing again.

"Yeah, Ianto's fault," Rhys agreed. "And we love him for it."

"The brownies… they didn't have rum… they had hash in them." Tosh could hardly get the sentence out she was laughing so hard.

All of a sudden, Brenda sobered up quickly. "Oh my goodness, I smell smoke."

Owen and Ianto ran into the kitchen and saw smoke pouring out of the oven. Gwen was right behind. "There's a fire extinguisher under the sink. I put the roast back in the oven to keep it warm and the oven must have still been on."

Ianto grabbed the fire extinguisher and Owen opened the oven door. Ianto blasted the charred bits of roast with foam. The fire was quickly put out. Unfortunately, Ianto couldn't get the extinguisher to shut off and foam sprayed all over Owen and Gwen, not to mention the kitchen ceiling and walls, well the whole kitchen really. Finally the extinguisher stopped spraying. Owen opened some windows in the kitchen to vent the smoke.

As he returned to the living room, he heard sirens in the distance. "Beautiful, we've got mostly naked stoned people, a stoned weevil, foam everywhere and the fire department on the way."

Jack managed to pull himself together enough to order everyone to get dressed. They all scurried to find their clothes so they could look presentable when the police and firemen arrived. Unfortunately, Jack had to forego putting on his boxers as the weevil had taken them and put them on his head.

Rhys tried not to laugh at the Weevil's antics. "So what are we going to do about Uncle Fester?"

"Let's wrap him in my coat, stick a hat on his head and see if we can't walk him past the authorities using a little Torchwood finesse," Jack suggested.

"You mean muscle," Owen snarked. Jack nodded.

The fire department and police arrived a few minutes later just as Owen and Jack were loading the weevil into the SUV. Fortunately, PC Andy was there and after peering as best he could through the tinted windows of the SUV, he looked at Jack and asked, "That one of your spooky dos?" Jack nodded.

"Yeah, I came myself because I recognized the address. Is everyone OK?"

"Yeah, small kitchen fire."

"Did Gwen burn something again this year?"

"Yeah, she put the roast back in the oven thinking it was turned off, but it wasn't and it incinerated sort of."

"Sounds like Gwen. She actually exploded a microwave oven when she first started on the force. Good thing Rhys knows how to cook. Can I go upstairs and make sure everyone's alright?"

"No problem, but can I borrow your handcuffs." Andy stared at Jack, wondering if Jack was trying to get something going with him.

"For the spooky-do, for goodness sake!"

"Yeah, sure," he said pulled them out and handing them to Jack. Jack quickly opened the car door and Owen cuffed the weevil's wrists together.

They headed upstairs as the firemen were heading out. "Damn drunks, nearly burned the building down," one of them griped.

"You're just mad because you didn't get to run in and save anyone. Be glad it was only a little oven fire, and they had it out by the time we got here." The first firemen was going to say something else, but saw Jack glaring at him.

"Hey Merry Christmas guys, sorry about ruining your day," Jack said turning on his thousand watt charm. "Yeah, you too," the firemen replied none too impressed. "Bloody Torchwood."

They went upstairs to find everyone cleaning up from the party. For the most part everyone looked reasonably respectable, though it was clear that Gwen had her shirt on inside out. Not to mention the melting blobs of foam sitting on top of her head.

"Andy!" Gwen was surprised and embarrassed that Andy was there.

"Yeah, don't worry, Jack explained about you cornering one of your aliens in the flat and forgetting to turn off the oven." He put on his most official voice and told the group, "Well Torchwood almost lived up to the first part of its name tonight. Looks like a little too much celebrating might have gone on as well. Is everyone safe to drive?"

"Me and Gwen and Mum aren't going anywhere, so we're OK," Rhys pointed out.

"We just got here," Owen said pointing to himself and Ianto, " and unfortunately missed all the fun." He brushed some foam off his coat. "Well most of the fun anyway."

Jack pointed out that he hadn't had a drop to drink all evening. Tosh acknowledged she had over imbibed but she wasn't driving.

"Well I'd like to give you both (pointing at Jack and Owen) a quick breathalyzer test just for my own peace of mind. If you flunk, I'm only going to ask that you wait until morning to drive home."

Owen felt really put out, but Jack said they'd be happy to cooperate. Andy went out to his squad car and brought back the test kit. Both Owen and Jack tested 0.0% alcohol in their blood.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that Owen is sober, but you Jack, just be careful, OK." And who's the quiet one?," he asked pointing to Ianto. "He hasn't said a word. What's the matter, is he stoned speechless?"

Ianto couldn't believe that a friend of Gwen's had make such a tasteless remark. He turned his back on Andy so he could focus on something else. He be damned if he was going to have a conversation with this git.

Gwen grabbed Andy by the arm and pulled him out of the dining room toward the front door. "You idiot, Ianto's a survivor of Canary Wharf. His injuries affected his ability to speak. Didn't you hear The Queen's speech today?"

"Shit, I really bollixed that one up good, didn't I?"

"Yes you did, so you'd better get your arse in there and apologize."

They went back into the dining room. Jack has his arms around Ianto and was speaking to him softly. Jack looked over Ianto's shoulder and glared at Andy.

Andy took a deep breath. "Look mate, I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you, but even so, that was a shitty thing to say."

Ianto turned and looked at Andy. Andy had almost no emotional defenses and Ianto easily sensed that Andy was absolutely mortified.

He typed something on his Blackberry's voice synthesizer. '_Yeah, well OK, but don't let it happen again.'_

Everyone started to say their goodbyes. Jack gave Ianto a small kiss and then he and Tosh excused themselves quickly to go deal with the weevil in the SUV.

"I'll drop Ianto off at my place and come by the Hub to help you," Owen offered.

"Tell you what," PC Andy said carefully. "Why don't I give Ianto a lift back to your place and you can follow the SUV back. "Would that be OK, Ianto?" Andy was very nervous as to what Ianto would say.

_'Can we drive really fast and put the siren and lights on?,'_ Ianto asked. '_Please.'_

"Hell why not, it'll my Christmas present to you." Ianto smiled. He gave Gwen and Rhys a final hug and the two men headed out the door.

Once everyone had left, Gwen and Rhys surveyed the flat. The dining room didn't look too bad, but the kitchen was a total disaster. "Guess Mum won't have to worried about undercooked Mad Cow roast beef," Rhys snickered. "Hey where is Mum?"

They went back into the lounge but Brenda wasn't there. They searched the flat and found her sound asleep on the commode. "Oh Rhys, you shouldn't see your mother this way. Get out of here and let me handle it." As soon as Rhys left the bathroom Gwen whipped out her cell phone and took several more pictures. "Yeah Brenda, I think you're going to be indisposed for many Christmases to come." She lifted Brenda and got her pants back on. "Rhys, your Mum's decent now, come and help me carry her to her bed."

About an hour later, after they had cleaned up everything as best they could in their still somewhat stoned state, they sat in bed reflecting on the evening.

"Well it could have been worse. Think if it had been any other policeman except Andy. But I think overall everyone, including my Mum had a good time."

Gwen smiled sweetly at Rhys. "In some ways this was actually fun. Ok, not the weevil, or the fire, or the foam all over the kitchen, but I think that it went surprisingly well."

Rhys kissed Gwen and turned over to sleep. "You done good Gwen, I think Mum's starting to like you."

'Oh yeah,' thought Gwen, 'she's going to love me when I show her the pictures. This was probably the best Christmas I've had in a long time. But poor, poor, Brenda she doesn't even realize that she's just had **The Worst Christmas Ever!**'


	38. Order & Chaos

SUMMARY: Ianto finds the Torchwood archives in complete chaos, tries to impose some order on his relationship with Jack and returns to London for a New Years celebration. Chapter 36 is rated PG-13 for language and sexual references.

_**The title is from the following: We adore chaos because we love to produce order. M. C. Escher**_

_**Live Journal was having problems when I posted the last chapter. So if you weren't able to view Jack's 'attire' you may do so at artwork_avivb at livejournal (dot com). I'm so sad no one commented on it. Take a look and let me know what you think!**_

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Owen and Ianto had wanted to get an early start for the drive back to London. Ianto hated the fact that Owen was going to have to drive there and back in a single day, but since the trains weren't running, there weren't any other choices. Unfortunately they were thwarted in their plans as Jack's car repair shop wouldn't return Owen's car to the Hub until 10 AM. While they waited, Ianto wandered through the rooms that constituted Torchwood Three's archives. As he looked in the file drawers he realized that everything was even in more disarray than he thought.

Someone had started keeping a computerized log of items that came through the rift several years prior, but in addition to the unknown items being filed under 'Alien Artifacts" even the known items were catalogued in a random manner. Some items were filed by the culture they came from, some by the date the item was thought to be from, and some were filed by the name of the item. Nothing was cross-indexed properly and there was no sort capacity of the computerized logs. And the physical items themselves weren't labeled so one had to rely on the logs which often said things like, 'large green item that looks like a toaster on the third shelf from the top in the cabinet next to the water pipe.'

Ianto shook his head in disbelief. He didn't even want to think about the boxes from Torchwood One. He could only hope that there might be related items in a single box. He was pretty sure that he would be able to remember the basics about anything from their archives, but not the carefully cross-referenced details.

Tosh demonstrated the Unit software for him and as she stated it was workable but not terribly user friendly.

'_This is what Unit uses to record their reports? Unbelievable,' _he stated while looking at Tosh.

She nodded in agreement. "You'd think that an organization like that would have software that was better designed and easier to use."

'_I wonder if we could access what they used at Torchwood London. Especially if I have to start from scratch, it would make sense to use report and archival systems that work well together."_

Tosh cautiously reminded Ianto that Jack had forbidden them to use any of Torchwood One's systems. '_Well, he wasn't going to hire me either and here I am. I'll go talk to him about it.'_

"Well if anyone can convince him, it will be you."

Jack was in his office and looked a little confused when Ianto entered.

'_Sir, do you have a moment?"_

"I forgot you and Owen were stopping by for his car. What time is it? And what's with the 'Sir'?"

'_The car's not being delivered until ten. It's 9:15 now. And I thought it best if we maintain a professional relationship at work.'_

"Oh you did, did you? You didn't ask if that was OK with me, did you?"

Ianto couldn't understand why Jack was being so cold until he caught the twinkle in Jack's eye.

"Well come over here and give me a kiss," Jack laughed. "You're not on the payroll yet, so we'll have to take advantage of this time."

Ianto walked over to Jack's desk and bent down to kiss him. Jack pulled him down into his lap and gave him a long deep kiss. As much as Ianto hated to stop, his anxiety over the state of the archives even managed to surpass his desire to just sit on Jack's lap and snog him until ten o'clock.

'_I really want to talk to you before I have to leave,' Ianto told Jack as he slipped out of his grip. 'You don't have any proper software for organizing the archives and the program that UNIT sent you for logging reports is poorly done and won't be able to interface with any archival programs we use." _

Ianto took a deep breath as he typed. '_I'd like to suggest that we avail ourselves of the programs used by Torchwood London. I know how you feel about using their technology, but if we can somehow retrieve their software that will give us a big head start. I'm familiar with it, at least the archival programs, and I've used the report programs for cross-referencing. Not to mention that you've got, what, a couple hundred boxes from them that are also going to need to be sorted. We might even be able to retrieve London's archival records which would really help with their boxes.'_

Jack studied Ianto closely. 'He's really taking all of this seriously, which I have to admit I really wasn't when I offered him the job. But with London gone, I suppose we are now the main repository of all of London's leftovers. But I'm loath to use their systems; everything from them just reeks of corruption, ok everything but Ianto.'

He avoided answering Ianto's request directly. "What does Torchwood Two use and why wouldn't that work for us? After all, they archive all the really large items that come through the rift.'

'_Their systems would be fine as well,' _Ianto replied, trying to hide the smile that had been forming as Jack spoke.

Jack caught Ianto's smile. "Don't tell me," he sighed. "They use the same software as One." Ianto nodded. "Ok, I'll have Tosh contact Archie and get copies of the software for you. And I'll have her see if she can retrieve any of London's archival files."

'_Thanks Sir.'_

"Don't know if I'm going to get used to this Sir thing. Everyone else here calls me Jack, so I really think it would be OK to use my name. And if you don't want to fool around during work hours, I'll do the best I can to restrain myself. Which means, I won't put my hands all over you when the others are around. But if they're not, I make no promises."

"There's something else we need to talk about," Jack continued. "You had mentioned you want to set some guideline for our being together. I guess no snogging at work is one of them. I'm pretty amenable to almost anything you ask with one exception."

Jack thought, 'I hope this isn't a deal killer, but Owen's right, he deserves the truth.'

He explained to Ianto that he couldn't commit to pure monogamy. "I promise that anything else I do will be discreet and I will never bring anyone to the Hub or your flat or around the team without your OK. But I have needs that a 21st century human cannot satisfy, even if you're into some pretty rough and kinky stuff. That also means that you are free to do likewise under the same terms of discretion concerning the Hub and the team."

Ianto couldn't hide his disappointment. He had hoped that this would be a committed relationship but reminded himself that even when he thought he and Lisa were a couple, she didn't seem to feel the same. And at least Jack was being upfront about it.

'_I'll admit I'm a little disappointed, but not really surprised. I wish I could be everything that you need, but…'_ his voice trailed off as he couldn't think what to say. He couldn't make eye contact with Jack, not now, so he focused on the floor instead.

'_But that brings up another point. If you're going to be with others then we'll have to use protection. I'm not immortal and I can't chance getting HIV or anything like that.'_

Jack wasn't terribly happy with Ianto's proposal. But he knew Ianto was right. He got up and walked to over to where Ianto was sitting. He leaned over and kissed the top of his head. "Ianto, look at me. I'm not going to go out and shag others every other night, but sometimes, knowing that I'm going to live forever, I need to feel some pain and humiliation to remind myself that I'm still human. And I don't want to ask that of you. I want our relationship to be about pleasure, not about hurting each other. And I promise that I'll use protection with anyone else I see. That way we won't have to. Does that make sense to you?"

Ianto nodded. He still really didn't understand why Jack needed people to hurt him, but knew he couldn't bring himself to do anything like that to Jack.

Jack was relieved with Ianto's acceptance. 'I'll just have to be very discreet. Won't do to have him hearing that I was out with some gorgeous lady for dinner even if she's going to torture me to death afterwards. What he doesn't know isn't going to hurt him. And I think I'll just skip telling him about The Doctor for now. Wait until he's more at ease with me; I don't want to scare him off.'

Jack motioned to Ianto to stand up. Ianto did so, his eyes again on the floor. Jack gently tipped Ianto's head up and kissed him gently on the cheek. He took Ianto in his arms and held him tightly. "Don't be upset, Ianto. As long as I'm on this planet, you're the one I want to be with. I just want to make sure that we're open and honest with each other."

He kissed Ianto on his other cheek. "We're going to have such a great time when you get back. There are places I want to take you and things I want to do with you that I know you've never experienced. And being with you it will be new again for me to see them through your eyes." Jack tilted Ianto head back a bit and gave him a last long, luscious snog. "Enjoy your last few weeks in London, go out and see others if you want to, I really won't mind, because I know when you come back here you won't have time for anyone else but me."

Ianto looked at Jack wanly. _'Does this mean I'm going to be exhausted all the time once I'm back in Cardiff?'_

"Well I certainly hope so. Look it's almost ten, let's go down into the Hub; you don't want to keep Owen waiting. With the late start and the traffic, he's bound to be pretty cranky."

They went into the main area of the Hub. "Where's Owen?" Jack queried.

'_He's waiting outside for the car to be delivered. He's already pretty cranky. This should be a fun drive back to London.' _Ianto rolled his eyes. '_We should probably go wait in the tourist office for him. My duffle's already up there.' _

Less than five minutes later, Owen came into the tourist office announcing that the car was ready to go. Jack walked out with Ianto and inspected the work. To his eye the car looked perfect, but he wasn't going to say anything that might set Owen off on a rant. To his surprise, Owen mentioned what a nice job Jack's body shop had done. "Oh, and they'll be sending the bill directly to Torchwood. Said it wasn't the first time they've had to fix a car for the Captain on short notice."

"Yeah, there was one year before you joined when we managed to roll an SUV and a car in the same week. Never a dull moment."

"Come here you," Jack said to Ianto. He gave him one last hug and kiss while Owen got into the car. Owen drove off the second Ianto had shut the door.

The Boxing Day traffic was terrible. Owen grumbled all the way to Clifton's. Ianto went in and quickly picked up his suit, shirts and ties. It was Noon by the time they got onto the M4 headed to London. The traffic thinned out on the road and Owen began to enjoy the drive. He asked Ianto how he was feeling but Ianto was staring out the window lost in thought. 'Wonder what that's about. Hope Jack didn't upset him.' A little while later Owen looked over to see that Ianto was asleep.

Owen let Ianto sleep for an hour and then turned the volume up on the CD that was playing. Ianto stirred and Owen quickly turned the volume back down.

Ianto yawned. _'Shit I'm tired. That was a lot more exciting Christmas than I was expecting.' _Whatever had been bothering Ianto had apparently been resolved in Ianto's mind.

"That was pretty crazy with the strip Trivial Pursuit and the weevil and the fire. You know, Ianto, you really ought to have a little chat with Stephen about those brownies. That could have turned out quite differently if you hadn't taken his warning seriously and your niece and nephew had eaten them or someone had a reaction to the hashish."

'_I know; I'm furious with him! But since I'm staying with him until the end of January I'm going to have to be nicer about it than I really want to. I should have known better with him. He's a great guy to bar hop with, but he just doesn't think about consequences. His brother Bryan is almost as bad. I kind of feel sorry for The Brigadier; they must drive him crazy.'_

"Well, don't go blaming yourself. How could you know he was into drugs?"

Ianto sighed. '_I don't want to lie to you Owen. I did know. We smoked some joints together a couple of times. And I know he does some club drugs on occasion. I just never imagined that he'd send me hash brownies, through the mail yet. Shit, what if they had been found by drug sniffing dogs? We could have both ended up in big trouble.'_

Owen hadn't considered that possibility. "Good point. Don't worry Ianto, I'm going to kill him myself when I meet him at the New Year's party. Stupid git! And frankly, you shouldn't be doing any drugs, even marijuana with all the medications that you're on."

'_Actually Owen, it gave me better pain relief than some of the medications they had me on.'_

"Just remember, you don't know if it's pure or laced with PCP or meth or something else. So be careful."

'_I think my drug days are over. Guess I'll just have to resort to getting drunk.'_

"Now there's a plan."

* * * *

They stopped for a quick bite to eat just before they got London since they reckoned the London traffic would be a nightmare. They were right. With everyone out shopping the roads were clogged and it was 5 PM before Owen dropped Ianto off at Stephen's flat.

"Oi, give Stephen a smack on the head from me, OK?"

'_I think he's gone until Saturday; at least that's what he texted me a couple nights ago. Maybe I'll just trash his flat and tell him it was a reaction to the half dozen brownies I ate when I got back.' _

Ianto got out of the car while Owen got his duffle out of the boot. "Did you open your present from Jack, or is that none of my business?"

Ianto hadn't opened the present since Jack had asked him not to open it until he was back in London. _'I could open it now…it feels like it's a paperweight or something heavy.'_

"Your call."

Ianto smiled and ripped off the wrapping paper. He opened the small white box and gasped. Inside was his pocket watch. Ianto had written it off as lost months ago. Jack had included a small note explaining that it had been found during the clean up at Canary Wharf and he had had it repaired for Ianto. The crystal had obviously been replaced as it didn't have the few scratches on it that it had before and it had been shined up nicely. The note finished by saying, "I took the liberty of having something engraved on it. Hope that's OK."

Ianto turned the watch over. He looked surprised and confused as he read the inscription. (the inscription can be found at artwork_avivb at live journal (dot com).

Owen read the inscription and snorted. "Who would have thought that Jack Harkness was such a romantic? So what do you think?"

_'I think my grandfather would be appalled to see what Jack did to his watch, but it's nice, really. I'm just surprised that Jack took the chance of having this done before we met. Things could have worked out quite differently.'_

"That's Jack for you," Owen snorted, "he certainly doesn't suffer from any lack of confidence in his own prowess."

Ianto didn't say anything else but continued to look at the watch with confusion on his face. Owen thought it was best to leave well enough alone and not question Ianto about his rather tepid reaction to the watch.

"Hey, I'd better get back on the road, still got a long drive back. I'll be back in London Saturday evening so I'll give you a call then. See what you're up to. Maybe I can meet the illustrious Stephen on Sunday. Slap him around then rather than at the Brigadier's. If that doesn't work out then I'll see you Monday night at the Brigadier's. Alright?"

'_Do me one favor will you? Call me when you get to Cardiff so I know you're OK.'_

"Hey, who do think you are, my Tad?" Owen teased. He gave Ianto a hug and got back into his Miata, waved farewell and drove off headed back to Cardiff.


	39. Honesty

SUMMARY: The Brigadier and Owen let Ianto know how they feel about his relationship with Jack. This chapter is rated PG-13 for language and sexual references.

_**The title is from the following quote: An honest answer is the sign of true friendship. Proverbs 24:26**_

* * *

The week between Christmas and New Years was pretty busy for Ianto. He spoke to Stephen about the brownies and while Stephen was apologetic, Ianto could tell that he thought Ianto was making too big a deal out of it. Ianto thought it was just as well that he wouldn't be living with Stephen much longer. While he enjoying clubbing with him, Stephen never knew where his limits were. Ianto reckoned it would only be a matter of time until Stephen got himself into some serious trouble. And Ianto did not want to be with him when that happened.

He met up with Jonathan at rehab and had a nice lunch with him afterwards. Ianto inadvertently let something slip about Jack and Jonathan didn't seem put out at all. Ianto wondered if there wasn't something more to Stephen's comments about Jonathan being intolerant.

Ianto set up a meeting with The Brigadier to tell him about Jack. He was really dreading the meeting, but thought it was only fair to be honest with him. He knew he had to be careful how he approached The Brigadier. It was one thing to tell Owen to back off as Owen was near his age and really more of a friend; it was quite another to tell someone who literally held his life as well as his financial future in his hands that he didn't like the way he was being treated.

The Brigadier was surprised when Saundra told him that Ianto had called to set up an appointment to see him. "Hell, he's like a son to me, he doesn't have to do that," The Brigadier groused to Saundra.

Saundra thought that maybe Ianto wanted to discuss something about his continuing care and wanted to keep things 'official.' She suggested that they meet for dinner; it would less formal than his office but would still maintain his role as the person in charge of overseeing the survivors.

Ianto was surprised when Saundra called back to schedule dinner for Thursday evening but realized that a restaurant might be a better setting than The Brigadier's office. After all, there was no way The Brigadier was going to throw a hissy fit in public.

Their conversation at dinner focused mainly on what Ianto would be doing in Cardiff once he moved back at the end of January. The Brigadier seemed pleased that Jack was going to provide a job, at least temporarily for Ianto. "I was worried that you'd be at loose ends…this is good for Torchwood and you." When Ianto told him his thoughts about UNIT's incident recording software he was surprised that The Brigadier agreed. "You know, UNIT always wanted to see what Torchwood was using, but Yvonne was not very good at sharing her toys."

Ianto was certain Jack or even Archie would be happy to supply copies of the programs they used to log incidents and artifacts and he could demonstrate how well the cross- referencing functions worked.

The Brigadier was amazed by Ianto's voice software. "It sounds like a real person, there's even some inflection to the voice. How do they do that?" Ianto shrugged. The Brigadier was delighted when Ianto told him about the wonderful time he had at his sister's for Christmas. And he laughed when Ianto told him about the unfortunate incident with his nephew David imitating a robot voice.

'_I feel like a fool. I've missed so much time with my family. But they've welcomed me back like nothing every happened. And I can tell you sir, that nothing is ever going to keep me from them again.'_

The Brigadier smiled and nodded. "Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean from my own personal experience. You'll be meeting my oldest son, Aaron at the party. His mother and I got married too young and when we divorced, neither of us was mature enough to put aside our differences for Aaron's sake. His mother had primary custody as was the norm back then and when she moved back home with him, I didn't make much of an effort to be a father. So when he came to live with me in preparation to going to University, he was a virtual stranger. We didn't get along at all. I was a rising military officer with the British Army, very conservative and very concerned with appearances. He had long hair, different ideas and was making some lifestyle choices I did not approve of. And I had a new family and two young children and I was terrified that Aaron would be a bad influence on them. Interestingly enough, he got on pretty well with my second wife, probably because they were closer in age than she and I were."

"Not surprisingly, after a year, he moved out, continued to live in London, but wouldn't have much contact with me. Who would have thought that he'd end up a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Royal Marines? Just got promoted last week. Now it's my younger sons I worry about and wish they would emulate their older brother. But this time, I'm not going to allow myself to become alienated from my children. Even if they make me crazy most of the time. Funny how things change."

Ianto nodded. The Brigadier had been very candid with him about his family so maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as he thought.

"_I did ask for us to meet to talk about one specific issue. I think you are_ _going to be quite upset with me, but I don't want to be dishonest with you or put Owen in an awkward position."_

"If this is about Jack, Owen's already told me. And he told me you told him to bugger off about it, so I'm guessing you're about to tell me the same thing."

Ianto's mouth opened in shock. Why hadn't Owen told him he had already spoken to The Brigadier?

"Ok, you can close your mouth now. I know you told him you'd handle it, but I think he still felt the obligation to comply with the conditions I set with him originally. Not to mention that it gave me time to think so I didn't kill you on the spot." The Brigadier sighed.

"I'm going to be totally honest with you. I think it's a very bad idea. Now before you protest let me explain why. And it isn't because you've chosen to be with another man. Obviously , you know about Stephen. I usually don't discuss my sons' private lives, but Aaron is gay. So I'd like to think that I'm pretty open-minded about individual lifestyle choices. At least now."

Ianto smiled. _'So what's the problem with Jack?'_

"Now that's a question I often ask myself. Jack is well, Jack. He's like a force of nature, wild, impetuous, unstoppable. Which is fine for catching aliens, but I'm not so sure is good for relationships. I'm worried Ianto. I don't want you to get hurt. Owen told me about your setting some ground rules with Jack, I just hope he doesn't break them."

'_He did make me certain promises, and we've made a few compromises that I can live with.'_

"I'm not going to say any more than this. When Jack makes a promise he means it fully at that moment. Unfortunately, my experience has shown that Jack doesn't have any problem breaking promises when it's in his best interest to do so. So just protect yourself physically and emotionally."

Ianto respected The Brigadier's opinion, but was disappointed that he thought so little of Jack.

"I hope I'm wrong, Ianto; I will be delighted to eat large quantities of crow if I am, but no matter what, you're a son to me now and I'll be there for you regardless."

* * *

Owen arrived in London on Saturday. He was staying at the London Hilton on Park Lane where he and Ianto had dinner on Sunday night.

'_So did you and Tosh get to share the champagne yet?'_

"No. What a week! Three more weevils were running around the shopping district on Saturday. Its hard to convince people that its just kids wearing costumes. Had to retcon a large group of shoppers who were convinced that they were real creatures. Not to mention that there seem to some mysterious disappearances of several young women from Cardiff since October. Personally, I think it's just your average serial killer, not something from the rift."

Ianto snorted. _'Just a serial killer,_ _that's comforting.'_

"Well, the police are treating it as their case for now, which means we won't get involved unless another disappearance coincides with a rift spike."

Ianto changed the subject. _' I had my little chat with the Brigadier.' Seems somebody beat me to the punch.' _At least Owen looked abashed._ 'I guess I should thank you. He was pretty calm about the whole thing.'_

"That's nice to hear; he wasn't so calm when I first told him."

'_Why do you both have so little faith in Jack?'_

Owen sighed; this was not going to be fun. "Ianto, you have to remember that Jack isn't from this time. Humans have evolved for an additional 30 centuries by the time Jack is born. Where he's from in the 51st Century, the family structure has evolved away from monogamy. Not that there aren't people who don't live that way, but apparently its just one of a variety of coupling choices. And Jack admits to being a conman at some point in his past or future or whatever you'd call the time before he got here. So no matter what he promises, it's still your primary responsibility to take care of yourself."

"Yes, I'm being a bossy, interfering, git aren't I? So I know you're going to love it when I tell you that if Jack won't commit to monogamy, or you suspect he won't, you'd better be using a condom for oral or anal sex. Every time. No exceptions. Because Jack may be immortal, but you aren't. And you can't afford to pick up something like hepatitis or HIV."

Ianto rolled his eyes. _'Well let me ask you…do you always use a condom when you are out with a different woman every night?'_

Ianto was surprised when Owen said he did. "I'm not stupid, Ianto. I'm not going to risk my life over a casual shag. I know, not very romantic, but very smart and practical."

Owen figured he had said all he could about the topic and changed the topic. "Ready for the New Year's Party?"

'_That was very smooth Owen.'_

"Yeah, changing the topic gracefully is one of my specialties. I'm guessing you won't be needing a ride, am I right?"

'_Stephen's giving me a lift. We are going over a little early. The Brigadier asked that the family come early for a little private celebration.'_

"Yeah, he asked me to come early as well. Can I assume that he won't bring any Adults Only brownies to the party?"

'_I had a chat with him, but I could tell he thought I was overreacting.'_

"Sounds like someone I know who thinks that way when I talk to him about safe sex."

'_Owen, that was a terrible segway. Please, I heard you really, can we just drop it?'_

Ianto thought, 'I wonder what his reaction would be if he knew that Jack didn't even promise monogamy. Or that the idea of using a condom for oral sex is just too bizarre. Sucking on latex isn't my idea of a good time. I bet that London's fireworks for New Years wouldn't even compare.'

"OK, this one's even worse. Do you have any dress shoes? I realized that you didn't buy any when you were in Cardiff."

'_Yeah, I have one pair left; fortunately the pair that got ruined at Canary Wharf were my second best pair. And I think the shoes will protect me against an unwanted pregnancy.'_

Owen snorted. "Very funny. Listen, did you have a chance to talk to your PT about some hand exercises?"

'_Yeah, she's getting me one of those grip strengtheners. And she's giving me different exercises to do with it.'_

"Oi, you're going to be regular he-man by the time you finish up your therapy."

'_I don't know about that, but I should have enough hand strength to throttle you if you don't shut up!'_

"I'm terrified, Ianto, truly terrified. I'll see you on Saturday, then."

They hugged and Ianto went to the hotel lobby and took a taxi back to Stephen's flat.


	40. Habit

SUMMARY: Ianto and Owen attend a New Year's party at The Brigadier's. Why is everyone so interested in Ianto? Who's the man with hazel eyes that Ianto is attracted to? And what mischief is Stephen up to now? This chapter is rated PG-13 for language and sexual references.

_The story title is from the following quote: __Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits. ~Author Unknown_

* * *

The party at The Brigadier's house was set for 8 PM. Ianto and Stephen had promised to come over early for a little family celebration beforehand. Ianto was surprised to see that Stephen was planning on wearing a pair of dress slacks and a sports jacket rather than a suit.

_I brought a suit, am I going to be out of place?' _

Stephen laughed, "No, I'm going to probably catch hell for being so casual, but really, I don't own anything dressier than this. No one gets that dressed up anymore, unless you're old like Father."

When Ianto got dressed for the party, Stephen looked him over and remarked, "I correct what I said earlier. No one but old people and _you _get dressed up. I like the dark shirt though, makes a very different look from the standard white dress shirt. Can't decide if you look more like an undertaker or a hit man."

_  
'Hit man, spy, gigolo, take your pick.'_

"That must have set you back a bit, unless you have some rich sugar daddy." Ianto blushed. "Come on, who is he?"

Even though the Brigadier knew what was going on, Ianto didn't want everyone in London to know. He sidestepped the question as best he could. '_Oi, I'm not going to kiss and tell. Let's just say that he is very handsome, very generous and I'm not complaining.'_

"Ianto, you're a kept man," Stephen teased.

Ianto actually didn't like the sound of that phrase at all and told Stephen about his new job. _'I can support myself, thank you very much. But if someone wants to buy me a nice Christmas present, then why not.' _

It did occur to Ianto that he probably shouldn't allow UNIT to continue to pay for his flat. He'd have to mention that to The Brigadier when he had a moment.

When they arrived at The Brigadier's home, Bryan was already there with a very attractive young lady. Bryan introduced Suzanne as his girlfriend which amused Ianto as he had never seen Bryan date the same woman for more than a few weeks.

_'Sorry about the phone,'_ Ianto apologized to Suzanne, _'but you are so beautiful that I'm speechless.'_

"Don't worry about it, Bryan explained about your…situation. The voice is actually very nice. I wonder if your own voice sounds as sexy."

Bryan snorted. "He's here five minutes and is already hitting on my girlfriend. Ianto you are unbelievable. I think it's the suit. Is that new? I know it hasn't escaped Suzanne's attention that it's leaving very little to the imagination."

_'And that's a bad thing?'_

"I certainly don't mind," Suzanne replied smiling at Ianto.

A few minutes later, Owen arrived. Ianto introduced him to Bryan and Suzanne and excused himself to go get a drink. Ianto could hear Owen trying to charm Suzanne while querying Bryan about Stephen.

Just then, Saundra and Jonathan arrived along with another man that Ianto didn't recognize. Ianto froze when he saw the man. He was older, medium height, with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes. Though he was wearing a nice suit, it was obvious that this man was very fit, almost a little too muscular to look good in a suit. Ianto felt himself drawn to the man. 'Who is he? He's not the best looking man I've ever seen but there's something about him…'

'_Well hello gorgeous_,' Ianto heard someone say, but there was no one speaking to him. The man smiled at Ianto and nodded. Ianto was a little freaked; the compliment was so clear in his mind he still was a bit confused. 'Fuck, he's pushing his thoughts right at me.' The man began to walk over toward Ianto. Ianto took a nervous step backwards.

'_Sorry._' "Sorry," the man said out loud. "I didn't mean to startle you, I'm Aaron. Father told me you had some empathic ability but I really didn't think you would pick up on my thoughts so easily. I'm a little embarrassed; not that I didn't mean what I said, I just don't usually say that first thing off to someone I don't know." Aaron blushed.

Ianto smiled a bit. Aaron's was not quite the confident seducer when it came to talking to someone. Ianto smirked, 's_o you wait how long normally before you come on to someone? Five minutes?'_

Aaron was so nervous that when he tried to explain that he never would never say anything that direct to someone, he ended up tripping over his words and repeating him self several times. "No, no, I wouldn't normally be that forward, not that your not worth being forward for…I mean, I didn't think you'd hear me, so I just let what I thought out there, not to frighten you, but maybe to see if you'd hear…or not.' Aaron's voice trailed off with embarrassment.

Ianto thought he was adorable. _'Really its OK, I'm actually a bit flattered.'_

"Oh, that's good then?' Aaron answered, still unsure of how big an error he had committed.

_'Yes it is. I think you could use a drink. I need to go over and say hello to Saundra and Jonathan; why don't you get something for yourself and rejoin us?'_

Ianto was still chuckling to himself as he walked across the room. "I see you've met Aaron," Jonathan said laughing, "and it looked like you had him pretty well hypnotized there. Must be the suit. I know you're not that interesting!"

Ianto shook Jonathan's hand and kissed Saundra on the cheek. _'Yeah, that's me, Ianto Jones, secret agent and stud muffin.'_

Jonathan snorted, "Using your right hand now, that's great! And you look really good. You clean up nicely, the suit's very attractive and I'd be…well attracted if…I swung that way…but I don't. I mean I'm not. Not that there's anything wrong with it…or not."

Aaron walked up just as Saundra and Ianto started laughing. "Hey Aaron, he just did it to me! Ianto had me so flustered that I could hardly get a proper sentence formed. I think his suit has hypnotic powers."

_'OK jigs up. Yes I'm a Time Lord; now where did I put my big blue box?' _Aaron almost spit out his drink. _'Aaron, I'm kidding, you do know that,' _Ianto asked.

"I swear for a minute, I wasn't sure. I thought I was in for it, some kind of divine retribution for flirting with a Time Lord."

The Brigadier asked for everyone's attention. "Before the other guests arrive I wanted to say how nice it is to have the family all together. It's been a number of years since all three of my sons were here for New Years. I'd like to propose a toast.

The Brigadier's toast turned out to be a rather long review of everything that had happened that year with his family as well as his being at Canary Wharf and meeting Ianto and Owen. "Before I forget, I have a little something for Owen and Ianto from UNIT. Come over here you two."

The Brigadier told everyone about Owen climbing into the rubble when they thought they were going to lose Ianto, as well as how he wouldn't come out even on threat of UNIT imprisonment. "UNIT unfortunately does not have a medal for 'most insubordinate git.' It does however have another one that I think will do quite nicely. By order of the Senior Executive Staff of UNIT, I hereby award you the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal." The Brigadier pinned the medal to Owen's suit pocket.

Owen was a bit embarrassed and didn't know quite what to say. But everyone was calling for remarks so he thought he'd best get on with it. "Well, this is quite a surprise. I'm very honored to accept this award. I must tell you that I haven't, even for a moment regretted what I did that day. OK, there was the day Ianto managed to total my car without even driving it, but other than that I don't regret it. Seriously, being Ianto's doctor for the last six months has been a real growth experience for the both of us. I think I've learned as much from Ianto about real courage as I could from any member of the armed forces. Thank you again for the recognition."

Ianto had blushed a bit at Owen's remarks. The Brigadier laughed to himself, 'you're going to be a lot more embarrassed in a few moments.' Clearing his throat, The Brigadier remarked, "And what can I say about Ianto? He really has become part of the lives of so many of us here. He's become like a son to me, and I assure you that he makes me just as crazy as my own three. He's battled so hard to regain his health and independence that I'm in awe of him. Owen's right; Ianto has showed as much if not more bravery than anything I've seen on the field in the British Army and now UNIT." Ianto was getting redder by the moment.

I'm afraid we don't have any medals for you today, but we have an official UNIT beret for you. Seems someone was very keen on you having one." The Brigadier placed the cap on Ianto's head, adjusting it to just the right angle.

Ianto turned almost as red as the beret. _'I'm overwhelmed. UNIT has done everything for me. I've had the best medical care, a place to live and a new start on life because of UNIT. And The Brigadier has been like a father to me. Including the scolding when I don't listen to him. His son's have really been real friends and I hope we'll remain so even after I leave London in a few weeks. As for cap'_, Ianto said smiling, _'I'm sure it will be put to good use as soon as I return to Cardiff.' _Only Owen and The Brigadier laughed. Everyone else just shrugged at his last remark.

"And I'd just like to mention," The Brigadier added, "that if either of you every get tired of working for Torchwood, you'd be most welcome to come and work for UNIT."

The Brigadier was prevented from making additional remarks as more people were gathering in the entryway to the room and beginning to get a bit noisy.

Ianto went to take off his beret. "Oh no you don't," said Martha as she and Tom came in, "I went through a lot of trouble to get that cap for you at Jack's request, so you'd better wear it for a while yet." Ianto rolled his eyes. _'No one else is in uniform Martha, I feel silly!'_

She pouted but said she understood. Martha introduced Ianto to her fiancé Tom who was also a doctor. The shook hands. "This is probably highly inappropriate, but as a surgeon, would you mind if I took a look at your hand?" Ianto shrugged and held out his right hand. Tom studied it closely, turning it over and examining the scaring across the surface. He had Ianto flex his fingers and nodded his positive assessment.

"Dr. Mason did a remarkable job. Except for the scaring, you'd hardly know that there ever was any damage. Martha, you were right about getting him; he really is the best. Are you having any difficulty using it?"

Ianto explained that he could do most things with the hand except write legibly and button very small buttons like on shirt cuffs. Martha asked how he managed with the dress shirt. Ianto smiled and pulled up his jacket sleeve and showed Martha the cufflinks. "Ianto those are gorgeous, but why do they have SJ on them?" Martha was pleased to hear about how well Christmas had gone with his sister and family and was very touched about the cufflinks. Ianto did not mention anything about Christmas at Gwen's. He also mentioned that using a stick shift was a bit of a challenge.

"That reminds me, what was this about you totaling Owen's car?"

Ianto muted the sound on his Blackberry and typed '_Weevils, ask Owen, he'll probably send you the tape.'_ Martha raised an eyebrow. _'Yeah, it's coming out on DVD next month – Ianto versus The Weevil. I think it will be a __**smashing**__ success.' _He quickly erased the sentences.

As the evening went on, Ianto found that lots of guests that he didn't know seemed to be seeking him out. Many were UNIT personnel who had been involved in the rescue and recovery operations from Canary Wharf. Ianto was puzzled why they were so interested in him until one woman remarked, "That had to be one of worst weeks of my life. So much horror, such a tragedy; seeing you doing so well makes me feel like at least something good was salvaged from the ruins."

Other guests were mostly curious, asking about his work, if his hand worked well, how he was getting along. Ianto answered the questions patiently, realizing that they were rubber-necking a bit, but really didn't mean to offend.

A few guests were downright obnoxious, asking him personal questions about whether he could have a normal sex life (_'it's my hand that got crushed, not my dick, you git,' he thought_), the size of the monetary settlement he thought he'd receive, and on two occasions offering what he thought of as 'pity sex.'

Finally, he just needed to get a little breathing space. There was a large terrace off the dining room, and though it was fairly chilly out, Ianto slipped outside. He was surprised to see that someone else was out there as well. He was even more surprised to see it was Aaron. _'OK, I'm tired of answering everyone's way too personal questions about my injuries, what's your excuse?'_

"Pretty much the same thing." Ianto looked puzzled. "I lost my partner of almost fifteen years this summer. Everyone's trying to be so nice and concerned and ends up saying all the wrong things. The best so far is some old bag who told me, 'you're still nice looking, I'm sure you'll find someone new any day now.' He was my lover, not my pet goldfish. You just don't go out and get a new one to keep in your flat.'

_'I'm so sorry. It must be hard to be here without him.'_

Aaron smiled sadly. "See you get it. This is the first social event I've been to since his death and all I can think of is how Geoffrey would have reacted to everything. He always seemed so cultured and sophisticated on the surface, but inside was an extremely snarky and irreverent man. By now he would have critiqued all the bad clothing choices and obnoxious people. He would have loved your suit. Probably would have teased me about whether we should both hit on you. I never felt nervous being at one of these parties when I was with him. Now, I don't know what to say to people. Mostly, I just want them to stop feeling sorry for me, and leave me alone."

Ianto nodded. _'Yeah, if one more person asks me if I'm able to shag, no I'm NOT kidding,' _Ianto said as Aaron shook his head in disbelief_, 'I may have to ask them to come into another room with me for a demonstration.'_

Aaron snorted. "Ianto, I've been meaning to ask you, are you able to shag?" Ianto gave Aaron a shocked look; a few second later he got the joke. _'Oi, the bereaved should not be making sex jokes, especially with the vocally challenged.'_

"So if I was interested, are you available? How's that for subtle?"

Ianto felt a little sad having to tell Aaron, _'I've just started seeing someone, so I'm not really available.'_

Aaron sighed. "I sort of thought that was the case. You have that 'happily shagged look' about you."

It was Ianto's turn to snort. _'And what does that look like, pray tell?'_

"Well you're wearing a suit that costs more than a thousand US dollars and I'm guessing that your job probably didn't pay quite enough to allow for that."

_'Details, details. Can I ask why you would be quoting the price in dollars?'_

"Didn't Father tell you that after he and my Mom divorced that we moved from the UK?"

_'Well he did say that you moved away with your mum, but I just assumed that he meant away from London, not that you moved to the US.'_

"We did move far away, but not to the US. My mom's from Israel, she was one of the first Israeli's to join UNIT. Turned out she was a little too outspoken for the political nature of the organization, not to mention my father. Israeli women have always had a very strong presence in their military; forty some years ago, most other governments as well as UNIT didn't really let women rise through the military ranks except perhaps nursing or other auxiliary functions. Poor Father, he really didn't have a clue what he was in for when he married my Mom."

_'Can I ask; how old were you when they divorced?'_

"Around six, but believe me the fireworks started long before then. Even at that age, I knew they'd be better off divorced."

_'I want to ask you something, but I don't know how to ask without seeming very rude or offensive.'_

"Let me guess. You want to know if I'm Jewish, because I don't 'look Jewish,' Aaron laughed as he made air quotes. "Or, if you're being really rude, you want to know if I'm circumcised." It was Ianto's turn to almost spit out his drink.

_'Honestly, it was the first question. I don't know If I've ever met anyone who is Jewish before. I mean I must have, but how would I know? I mean you don't look any different, and it's not like I've seen you naked…' _Ianto couldn't believe he said that. '_Duw, I sound like an idiot.'_

"Well just consider it payback for earlier this evening when you had me tongue-tied. Simple answers. Yes, I'm technically Jewish, but I'm not observant. Like a Christian who doesn't go to church but maybe has a Christmas Tree. Second, yes, and third, no you can't see it."

Ianto laughed. After a couple of drinks Aaron was much more relaxed and very funny. They moved back inside as it was too cold to stand outside for long.

They chatted some more and discovered that they both had an interest in threat assessment software applications. Aaron had been tinkering with a way to link written and oral communications through screening for key word or phrase identification while Ianto was working on expanding Torchwood's software applications to handle human as well as alien threats. Ianto wanted to diagram some of cross-referencing ideas he had and they wandered off to find some paper.

They ended up in The Brigadier's study and found some paper to draw on. Ianto began to chart out his ideas and Aaron joined in adding his thoughts on how the architecture of the system could be designed. After nearly an hour, Ianto was startled to realize that they hadn't spoken or in Ianto's case, used the voice synthesizer to communicate.

_'Whoa! Did we just spend the last hour listening to each others thoughts?'_

"Yeah, I wondered when you'd notice. It's so much easier than writing or speaking isn't it?"

_'It is, but it's almost a little creepy. Like when you startled me earlier this evening.'_

"I think it's OK, as long as you don't take someone by surprise. And you can only have a two-way link if both parties are empathic."

_'My sister reminded me at Christmas how I used to ask her, seemingly out of no where, something about what she was thinking. My niece, Mica has the same ability.'_

"I used to do the same thing when I was a kid; my step-sisters teased me about being an alien. And of course, we both know there aren't any aliens coming to earth," Aaron said winking at Ianto.

Ianto snorted thinking, 'for something's that supposed to be a secret, it seems like half the world already knows we're being visited by little green men.'

They agreed to talk some more about possibly working together on some software ideas once Ianto got settled back in Cardiff. They wandered back to the main group of guests just as the two minute countdown to midnight began. Ianto and Aaron looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Jonathon came over to join them. "Are we all going to kiss," he asked.

_'I thought you didn't swing that way. Heard you and Stephen had a big row about it.'_

"Oi, is he still going on about that? Short version is Stephen tried to hit on me, and I wasn't interested and told him so. But Stephen being Stephen was absolutely loaded and very persistent. I ended up saying some things to him that weren't very nice, but that man doesn't know when to stop."

Ianto nodded. He knew all about Stephen not knowing when he was over the line. _'He sent me hash brownies in the mail for Christmas. I gave them to some co-workers who got absolutely stoned. I can't imagine what would have happened if my niece or nephew had gotten into them.'_

"30 seconds," someone yelled out.

"And just to prove I'm not some homophobic asshat…"

"10 Seconds."

…"I'm snogging you both at midnight."

"3, 2, 1…Happy New Year!"

Jonathon leaned over and gave Aaron a sloppy kiss. Ianto's eyes widened. Before he knew it, Jonathan was snogging him and Aaron leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Ianto blushed furiously and put a hand across his face. Jonathan laughed, "see Aaron, I told you he'd be mortified if we did that to him."

Aaron was shaking his head. "You're an evil man Jonathan; it looks like it might take a week for Ianto to turn pale again."

"Don't you mean pasty," Jonathan snarked. "Is it possible; I think Ianto just got redder."

'_Oi, stop it, both of you. Otherwise, I'm going to go get Stephen to bother you.'_

"Now there's a threat worth avoiding."

Funny thing, none of them had seen Stephen for some time. They discretely started looking around and asking people if they had seen him recently. They finally located him passed out in one of the bedrooms. He was very pale, and they couldn't rouse him.

'_I'm getting Owen.'_

"Please be discrete," Aaron pleaded. "I'd rather Father didn't know unless he has to."

Ianto nodded and quickly found Owen who was chatting up a very attractive young woman. Ianto put on what he thought of as his 'I don't feel good' look and interrupted their conversation. _'Owen, I'm really sorry, but I have a little problem. Can I speak to you for a moment?'_

Owen immediately switched his attention to Ianto and was concerned at how he looked. He excused himself from the conversation and pulled Ianto aside. "What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost."

_'I hope not, but something's wrong with Stephen. Jonathan and Aaron are with him. We found him passed out and we can't wake him up.'_

As luck would have it, Martha noticed the two of them in concerned conversation.

She walked over to them. "What's going on. I can tell, something's wrong." Owen quietly explained and they headed off to the bedroom.

When they got there, Aaron and Jonathan were trying to get a very woozy Stephen to sit up. Owen examined him and saw that his eyes were dilated. His heart beat was rapid and his hands and facial muscles seemed to be twitching randomly. Aaron went through Jonathan's trouser pockets and pulled out several brightly colored pills. Martha knew what they were. "MDMA," she stated, "you know Ecstasy."

"How dangerous is that," Aaron asked. Martha thought that Jonathan hadn't technically overdosed; but that he had ingested far more than the normal amount and could possible go into seizure. "I don't think it's fatal in and of itself, but I'm concerned that if he seizes or has a heart arrhythmia he could be in big trouble.

No one wanted to tell The Brigadier. They knew he would be furious and send everyone home which would make Stephen's drug problem common knowledge. And they didn't want the Brigadier to be embarrassed. "He doesn't have to worry about Father killing him, I'm going to do it myself," Aaron fumed.

Martha spoke carefully. "Look, Aaron and I will drive him over to the Emergency Room. I think we can get him there without any danger. Once the party has ended, call my cell and I'll talk to The Brigadier, explain what we know at that point. Obviously, if something happens, we'll call you immediately, so Owen leave your phone on."

They managed to get Stephen into the back seat of Aaron's car. Martha climbed in the back with Stephen and they drove off to the hospital.

The party started breaking up not long after. It probably didn't hurt that Jonathan, Ianto and Tom would walk up to people, talk for a bit and then yawn loudly. As the last guests were leaving, Owen rang up Martha. She had been able to get Stephen priority access (he certainly wasn't the only over imbiber in the ER that night), and he was assessed as not being in immediate danger. He had an IV inserted to prevent dehydration and would be under observation as he came down from the drug. A psychiatric social worker was coming by in the morning and Aaron was hoping to get Stephen to agree to go into a drug and alcohol rehab program.

When Owen informed The Brigadier of the situation he shook his head and sighed. "I just can't reckon what's wrong with that boy. He's almost thirty and he still acts like he's in his teens. I live in dread of getting a phone call that he's overdosed, or gotten into an accident or arrested for drug possession.

The Brigadier wanted to go over to the hospital, but Owen advised against it. "I think that Aaron will have a better chance of getting him to enroll in a rehab program. It sounds like some of his acting out is to piss you off, and he's doing a great job isn't he?" The Brigadier nodded in agreement. "I'm really sorry that your celebration ended this way. I think Ianto and I should go over to Stephen's flat and search it for drugs. In case law enforcement gets involved, we don't want him to face drug charges as well."

Owen and The Brigadier shook hands and The Brigadier suddenly hugged Ianto tightly. "All you boys are such a lot of trouble; I'm getting too old for this." He let Ianto out of his grip, and ruffled his hair. "Behave yourself; I can't take any more surprises right now."

Owen and Ianto went back to Stephen's flat and did a full out search. They found a startling variety of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Ianto made it clear he wasn't going to stay at Stephen's flat with illegal drugs present. Owen sighed and phoned Martha who said she would arrange for appropriate disposal and that a UNIT team would be over within the hour.

"Well, it's three in the morning, really no point in going to bed," Owen snarked.

_'Why don't you go back to the hotel, there's no point in both of us being up.'_

Owen was insistent that he was staying until the UNIT team left. "I'm not leaving you here alone to deal with the UNIT thugs. Some of their covert people can be a little over the top and the last thing I want is to have to bail you out of trouble tomorrow." Ianto shuddered at the thought.

"Why don't you get out of your suit and into something comfortable? No point in you getting that messed up." Ianto changed and brought out some clothes for Owen.

"Well, I'll take the T-shirt, but the pants will never fit me. But at least I can get out of this damn noose," Owen said loosening his tie.

By the time the UNIT team arrived Ianto was asleep on the sofa. Owen gave them several large black plastic trash bags which they took without question. One of the team looked at Ianto. "Is he alright?" Owen snorted, "The problem child is in the hospital; he's just sleeping."

After they left, Owen thought about driving back to his hotel room. Realizing he was too tired to drive safely, he went into Ianto's room and got into bed. 'The Brigadier's not the only one who is getting too old for this,' he thought as he fell asleep.


	41. Intrusion

SUMMARY: Ianto gets a little training in handling the press from the UNIT PR staff and says his final good-byes to his friends in London. This chapter is rated PG for language and sexual references

_The story title is from the following quote: The things most people want to know about are usually none of their business. George Bernard Shaw. _

* * *

Ianto spent his last few weeks in London finishing his physical therapy, packing and getting prepared for his final relocation to Cardiff. With Stephen in inpatient rehab, it was a bit lonely being at his flat by himself. He and Owen had done a pretty good job tossing Stephen's flat, so Ianto thoroughly cleaned and reorganized everything for Stephen. He also conducted another search of the flat and found a water pipe and some rolling papers that had somehow been missed the first time around. He threw them in a bag with some wet garbage and put them in the dumpster behind the building.

Ianto sighed. He really liked Stephen but would be glad to put all the drama behind him. His only hope was that Stephen would take his rehab seriously and not return to what was a much more serious drug problem than Ianto had imagined. Even Bryan had been shocked when he was told about the pot, hash, meth, PCP, and amnyl nitrates found in the flat.

Stephen was only allowed two visitors a week and that was limited to immediate family members and Martha. Bryan had gone once, Martha twice, and the rest of the visits were made by The Brigadier and Aaron. They reported that Stephen was making progress but that it was very slow and he was destined to be in the inpatient facility for at least another month.

As Owen had speculated, The Brigadier had arranged for Ianto to meet with some UNIT PR staff to review how to handle press inquiries. The three staffers were impressed with how well he was able to deal with the scenarios they spun for him, usually with some candor and humor. He didn't seem to get ruffled, maybe a little emotional when he spoke about some things, but that just made him seem vulnerable and human.

"What are you going to say if someone asks you about your personal relationships?"

'_I'm going to say I'm dating a bit and if pressed that I don't kiss and tell.' _

"OK, but what if they specifically bring up Jack Harkness?"

Ianto admitted to himself that he shouldn't have been surprised that they knew about Jack, but somehow he was. He was about to get huffy, when he realized that if they knew, chances were some snooping reporter would find out as well.

'_I think I'm just going to repeat myself and then just say nothing more. Most people are very uncomfortable with silence and I think the reporter will look like a git if he/she keeps repeating the question.' _

The PR staff seemed pleased with that approach. One staffer pointed out that she noticed Ianto getting indignant but liked the way he controlled himself. "You know, that's not a bad strategy. Look a little put out, don't hide it, and then answer very politely. That will really get the sympathy on your side."

'_Why wouldn't the sympathy be on my side?' _

They explained that a lot of people were suspicious of what Torchwood's real purpose was or just didn't like government (or quasi-government) agencies or employees. "So don't let them bait you or get you to lose your temper. Have you done that at all since the time with the evaluator at the London hospital?"

Ianto couldn't believe they knew about that incident. _'Yeah, I was sometimes very cranky and disagreeable when the pain reved up but not what I'd call anything out of the norm. I can't exactly yell at anyone. So now I do a bit of eye-rolling sometimes just to let others know that I'm exasperated.' _Ianto demonstrated his eye-rolling technique.

"Actually, that's quite endearing, consider doing that if things start to get to you. And if anyone asks you anything that's covered under the Secrets' Acts or just feels intrusive about Torchwood, just let them know you can't answer due to confidentiality concerns." Ianto nodded.

"We've already briefed your family and they're sticking with the 'we're so glad he's home, we don't have a clue about his work/personal life' answer.'"

'_You spoke to my family? You think the press is going to bother my family?'_ Ianto somehow found this revelation highly disturbing.

"We think it's unlikely, but we didn't want them to be caught off-guard."

'_You know, Torchwood should really hire you guys to do their threat assessment analysis. You've really thought about everything, haven't you?' _

"Well that brings up one more item. It's too early to do any detailed planning, but there will certainly be some sort of memorial for Torchwood One next summer. We'll be working with you before that as we anticipate that there will be interest from the International as well as the National press."

'_Oh joy! Something to look forward to,'_ Ianto snarked. _'Are the other survivors being prepared as well?' _

Ianto didn't miss the uncomfortable looks between the staff. 'Ianto, you're just about the only one left who can do this. Obviously, the only survivors we could consider having as a spokesperson are those who came to work with UNIT or the government or Joe McGregor who is working for Torchwood Two. Most of those who are working for UNIT were employees who weren't seriously injured on the day of the attack, and Joe McGregor, while an amiable and intelligent fellow has such a heavy Scottish accent that he can actually be difficult to understand. And he didn't receive any injuries of note. You know a lot of survivors took retcon, and some who didn't are too physically or emotionally disabled to be able to speak about what happened."

'_I see, I'm the gimp whose damaged enough to make everyone feel sorry about Canary Wharf, but not so damaged that people are frightened of me. Lovely.' _

"Now that's exactly how we don't want you to act. Petulance is not attractive."

'_Excuse me; I think I have to roll my eyes now and then go stick a finger down my throat._'

"Ianto, we picked you because you're smart, you can think on your feet, and yes, because you were injured. What point would there be to having someone who was on vacation or sick leave speak for the survivors? And frankly, since UNIT will be handling much of the memorial activities, they are more comfortable with being able to manage your press than a survivor they don't know very well."

Ianto was puzzled. _'What does that mean?' _

"Sorry, should have told you that The Brigadier or someone else, probably Dr. Harper if it's in Cardiff, will be at any interviews you have. We're not just going to throw you to the wolves. So if someone is really obnoxious, they will step in and be the bad guys, you won't have to deal with it."

'_So if someone asks me if I'm able to have sex, can I have them answer for me? Don't look at me like that, I've been asked that several times by strangers!' _

"I'm afraid to ask, but how do you answer them?"

Ianto looked at his hand and then his crotch as he said '_I thought it was my hand that was damaged. Or if they're real pushy…I would hope my sex life would involve more than just my hands.' _

"Very funny. The first line is fine, but let's avoid the cock watching and the second line shall we?"

'_You are no fun at all.' _

The UNIT staff decided to wrap things up at that point. They thought Ianto had done very well, but were still concerned that their might be some lingering resentments on Ianto's part. "We know it's a lot to ask, but remember you are speaking not only for the survivors but for those who didn't make it out alive and for their families. It's easy to lose sight that every one of the thousands that died that day had a life and people who cared about them. So we want to humanize and personalize the story so that no one forgets that Torchwood One was made up of people like you, just regular people. The public knows nothing about what really happened and assumes that this was a premeditated terrorist attack."

Ianto had to admit that he hadn't thought about his role as survivor in those terms. He realized that the families would be watching his appearances and perhaps projecting his answers as those their own loved ones would have given if they had survived.

He nodded his understanding. '_When you put it that way, I guess I see what you're after. I wouldn't want to do or say anything that would pain the families of the casualties.' _

The PR staff smiled in relief. The Brigadier had told them that Ianto was exceptionally smart and empathic; they just had to find the right way to tap into his abilities.

****

A few days before his departure, Ianto went to the UNIT rehab center for his last appointment. They had already transitioned his records to a facility within walking distance from his new flat and since he would only be going twice a week, he was sure that he could easily fit that in with his schedule at Torchwood. It seemed very quiet at the physical therapy center; just a few people were in the weight room. He felt mixed emotions as he looked around. He was, of course, thrilled to be done with intensive therapy, but he would miss his therapists and Kelly and Jonathan, as well as the other patients and staff that he had grown close to over the preceding months.

Once he finished up his last session with his therapist she motioned him over to a conference room. Much to his surprise, The Brigadier, Kelly, Jonathan, Martha as well as Aaron were there along with several other staff members and patients. They had a small cake for his going away which read:

"IS IT SOMETHING I SAID? (There is a picture of the cake over at my homepage - see account info for link.)

Ianto smiled. He knew Martha had told some of the staff about his experience with the evaluator at the hospital but didn't realize that others knew as well. 'Seems like the entire world knows about that. I'd better have an appropriate answer if any questions come up over that incident.'

Aaron offered to drive Ianto back to Stephen's as he needed to pick up some clothes to take to the hospital where Stephen was undergoing treatment. As Aaron packed a suitcase for Stephen, he let Ianto know he was going to miss him. "I know we've only just met, but I feel such a strong connection with you. The type of empathic ability we both have is very rare and once you get used to that type of communication, regular speech or text messaging just doesn't cut it."

Ianto was pretty sure he knew the answer to his question, even before he asked it. And he heard his answer without asking. "Yeah, Geoffrey was empathic. Not as strong as you, but pretty close."

Ianto felt so sorry for Aaron, but there really wasn't anything he could do. _'I'll email you once I'm settled in Cardiff and we can work some more on the software ideas, OK?' _

Aaron smiled as he realized that Ianto was trying to avoid any emotional entanglements as he was leaving London. And really, Aaron couldn't blame him. Ianto obviously had something going already in Cardiff and why shouldn't he pursue it. Ianto didn't really know anything about Aaron, so it wasn't really fair to expect Ianto to consider him seriously.

'Timing is everything,' Aaron thought, 'and as usual, mine sucks.'

Ianto looked at Aaron and shrugged, having heard everything that Aaron was thinking. They hugged goodbye and Aaron turned to leave the flat. 'Take care of yourself and that git brother of yours, will ya.' Aaron didn't turn back but nodded as he walked out the door.


	42. Gratification

SUMMARY: Ianto and Jack reunite in Cardiff. It's quite a reunion. This chapter is rated Adult due to sexual content.

_**The story title is from the following quote: It is the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it. Aristotle**_

* * *

Owen had offered to come and pick up Ianto for his trip back to Cardiff. Ianto refused, explaining that he had never completed his assignment of taking a train ride. He also hated the thought of Owen having to make another long drive like he did on Boxing Day. And if Ianto was going to be living independently he thought it was time for him to do just that. There was no point in staying within the protective bubble of UNIT and Torchwood Three. Ianto reckoned that there would be some setbacks and maybe a few rough patches, but he was looking forward to getting on with his life.

The train trip back was quiet and relaxing. He actually enjoyed having some time to just chill, catch up on some of his email and listen to his iPod. As he looked out the window, he began to think about Jack and his promise of 'fun' when he returned.

By the time the train arrived in Cardiff, Ianto had fanaticized his way to a full erection. 'Duw, this is going to be embarrassing if Owen sees this. He'll never let me live it down.' He buttoned up his coat which fortunately managed to cover up the evidence. As he stepped off the train he looked around for Owen. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a long coat moving his way. 'Jack!' Ianto couldn't help himself, he ran over to Jack and hugged him. And then kissed him. And then nuzzled him a bit.

Jack laughed, "I told Owen you wouldn't mind if I came and picked you up. So maybe you did miss me a little." Ianto nodded as he leaned into Jack's shoulder. "Hey, let's go get your luggage. We can continue this at your flat."

They went inside the station and waited until the luggage from the train was available. It was unbearably warm inside, and Jack unbuttoned his coat. Ianto smiled as he saw what Jack was wearing. Jack looked a little puzzled until he remembered what he had worn just for Ianto. "Love the Christmas gift. I feel like a real native now," Jack joked as he snapped one of his Welsh dragon braces. Ianto was a little embarrassed; he bought the braces as a joke, he never expected that Jack would actually wear them.

(A Picture of the braces can be seen on my homepage at live journal).

"I know you bought them for a laugh," Jack continued, "but I wanted to let you know that I treasure any gift from you. Who knows, we might be able to find some fun things to do with them later on." He whispered into Ianto's ear, "I've already come up with a few ideas; see what you can think of on the drive over to your flat."

By the time they got to Ianto's flat, Ianto was so aroused he could hardly stand it. Maybe it was Jack's 51st Century pheromones, maybe it was the ache of not being with him since Christmas, maybe it was the braces, whatever was going on, Ianto was not fighting it. As soon as they entered the flat, put the luggage down and took off their coats, Ianto pushed Jack up against the entry way wall. Jack could feel Ianto's erection against his thigh and saw that Ianto's pupils were dilated.

"You bad, bad boy, what are you trying to do to me." Ianto began to unzip Jack's jeans. "Whoa, hang on. Let's go into the bedroom first." Jack had to almost drag Ianto into the bedroom so intent was he on unzipping Jack's pants.

Jack playfully pushed Ianto onto the bed, lay down on top of him and started kissing him passionately. Ianto was grinding his hips against Jack, his face flushed with desire. Jack had planned a slow, delicious seduction, but it appeared that Ianto had other things in mind. And Jack had no objection to doing things Ianto's way.

"God Ianto, you're such a hot, horny little bastard aren't you," Jack teased. Ianto nodded and began to unbutton Jack's shirt. "I need to take the edge off you," Jack said as he unzipped Ianto's pants. He lifted Ianto's hips and pulled down the jeans and boxers in one swift motion. Ianto was harder than Jack expected and very close to his climax. His cock was dark and swollen and pre-come was leaking from the tip. Jack swallowed him completely in one swift movement. He had only begun to suck when he felt Ianto's thighs tighten and tasted his come. Jack drank him down as Ianto moaned and writhed underneath him.

Jack smiled as he knelt between Ianto thighs and licked him clean. He straddled Ianto's hips and began to run his hands lightly up and down over Ianto's body. Ianto twitched as some of the strokes tickled a bit, but mostly he moaned and pushed back against Jack's touch. Jack gently kissed Ianto's mouth, sucking on his lower lip a bit. Ianto reached up and pulled Jack into a deeper kiss as he probed Jack's mouth with his tongue.

They continued to kiss as Ianto pulled Jack to lie on top of him. Jack shivered at the contrast of the cool air of the flat and the heat radiating off of Ianto's body. He pushed his erection against Ianto's crotch and was startled to find that Ianto was already getting hard again. Ianto was returning the favor, grinding himself up on Jack. "Tell me what you want Ianto," Jack entreated, "come on, tell me what you need."

Jack was shocked to hear Ianto push back with, 'Jack, please fuck me, I need you inside me.'

Jack was fearful of taking things too far, too fast with Ianto. He continued to thrust at Ianto asking, "Are you sure about this? The first time can be a little uncomfortable, though it gets better with practice."

'_Well how am I ever going to get there if we don't start somewhere? I want you Jack, I've never been more certain of anything in my life._'

"OK, but we can stop at any point if it's too much for you. I need to go get something…out of my coat pocket." Jack got up quickly and took a small tube out of his coat. He returned to the bedroom and straddled over Ianto's body. "Now where were we," he asked as he started lightly running his fingers up and down Ianto's chest. Ianto pulled him closer. "Ah yes, now I remember," Jack teased.

Jack continued stroking Ianto's torso as he felt Ianto continue to harden against him. He ran his fingers down the center of Ianto's chest as he sucked on his left nipple. His fingers returned up to worry Ianto's right nipple, pinching firmly while he nipped Ianto's left one. Ianto gasped with pleasure. Jack slid down Ianto's body until he hovered over his thighs. He slowly licked up the inside of Ianto's right thigh and then down the inside of his left thigh. Ianto writhed at the feel of Jack's wet, hot tongue licking him. Jack smirked as he observed Ianto's growing erection.

He turned Ianto over on his stomach and stroked his back from shoulder down to waist and down across his buttocks. Jack kissed the back of Ianto's neck and began to work his way down Ianto's back with his tongue.

When he reached the small of Ianto's back he began to massage Ianto's arse cheeks gently pulling him up a bit. He spread Ianto's cheeks and licked between them just touching his hole. Ianto moaned. Jack squeezed some lube onto two fingers and stroked them where his tongue had just been, teasing Ianto's opening until he could insert one finger inside. Ianto pushed up to take the finger more deeply into him. Jack moved the finger to stretch him and then inserted the second finger. Ianto breathed in sharply and Jack gently moved the fingers deeper into Ianto. After a few minutes, Jack began to move his fingers gently in and out of Ianto. Ianto pushed his thoughts out. 'Please more, Jack, give me more.'

Jack smiled and squeezed some lube on a third finger. He pulled his two fingers almost all the way out and used them to spread Ianto's entrance. He reinserted all three fingers gently but deeply in one push. Ianto's pushed up taking the fingers in down to the knuckles. He rotated his fingers until he found Ianto's prostate and pushed gently against it. Ianto arched up gasping. Jack kissed and nipped Ianto's cheeks as he continued to fuck him with his fingers until he felt Ianto relax around them.

He pulled them out and quickly slicked his cock up. He knew that it would probably still be a little uncomfortable for Ianto but he was determined to make this a pleasurable experience for them both. He pushed just the tip of his cock inside Ianto. Ianto gasped at the intrusion. "Just relax, we'll take this as slow as you need to. Let me know when you're ready for a little more." Jack concentrated on kissing Ianto's neck and back while keeping very still inside him. Finally he felt Ianto squeeze around his cock.

He pushed just a bit deeper and stopped once more to give Ianto time to adjust to him. It took some time but eventually Jack was fully seated inside Ianto. He knelt with his chest resting on Ianto's back; the effort of holding back from thrusting was exhausting. "Are you ready for some thrusts," Jack asked.

'Duw, I'm ready for whatever you got,' Ianto thought. Jack smiled. He was pretty sure that Ianto wasn't really ready for much more than the gentlest of treatment, but he wasn't going to discourage him from asking.

Jack sat back a bit and pulled Ianto up with him. He pulled almost all the way out of Ianto very carefully and then pushed back in just as gently. He kept the pace agonizingly slow but fully seating himself inside Ianto with every thrust. He moved Ianto a little more upright so that the next thrust made contact with Ianto's prostate. Ianto threw his head back and whimpered. Jack smiled and repeated the motion again. As he pulled back again, he felt Ianto pull away a bit as well. As he pushed back in, Ianto pushed back as well.

Jack felt relieved. He was hoping that Ianto would be a full participant and not just a recipient for his first time. In fact, Ianto was beginning to get impatient with the speed of Jack's thrusts. He projected his thoughts, 'Oh god Jack, more, please. I need you to go faster.'Jack quickened his pace but still kept the thrusts as gentle as he could. To his surprise, Ianto pushed out to him a few minutes later. 'Jack, if you don't fuck me like you mean it, I'm going to lose my mind.'

Jack began to pick up the pace and thrust with more power. Ianto was meeting every thrust without hesitation. Jack kept one hand on Ianto's hip for balance and reached the other one around to stroke Ianto's cock. Ianto was fully erect and thrust his cock into Jack's fist in time with their rhythm. Jack could feel Ianto's cock swelling in his hand. He stroked it harder adding a little twisting motion at the end of each stroke. Ianto's thrusting stuttered; he tightened around Jack cock as he came in Jack's fist. Jack kept stroking Ianto and thrusting as he rode through Ianto's climax.

As Ianto began to soften Jack began to thrust with earnest. Ianto had no idea that Jack could put that much power behind his thrusts or aim so precisely. Every stroke was making him clench with both pleasure and pain and Ianto willed himself to relax as Jack kept at it for several more minutes. Finally he felt Jack's grip on his hips tighten and Jack came with a shout. He groaned and thrust again and Ianto could feel the warmth of Jack's come filling him. Jack groaned, pulled almost completely out and thrust in hard a final time holding his position pushing against Ianto's prostate until his orgasm subsided. He and Ianto collapsed on the bed. He pulled out of Ianto and moved next to him.

Ianto's eyes were closed, his face flushed, and he was completely taken over by his climax. Jack watched Ianto as he trembled and breathed heavily. He whispered, "You OK?"

Ianto opened his eyes, and Jack saw he had that teary-eyed look of ecstasy on his face. He pulled Ianto into his embrace and kissed him gently as Ianto rubbed against him almost purring like a contented cat. Finally, Ianto began to calm and he returned Jack's embrace and kisses. Jack held Ianto and told him, "That was wonderful Ianto. You were amazing. I hope you'll want to top next time."

Ianto was a little surprised by Jack's last comment, but he had to admit that Jack didn't seem to have any issues about having to be the dominant partner. He liked the idea of topping; he thought about some of the options they could try.

"Yeah, you can do that to me next time Ianto," Jack said laughing. Ianto blushed; he had forgotten that Jack could read his thoughts so easily. Jack got up and got a towel to clean himself and Ianto. Upon his return, Ianto pulled him close and kissed Jack gently. He felt himself drifting off to sleep and pushed out with a final thought, 'that felt so good, thank you Jack.'

****

Over the following weeks and months Jack began to spend most evenings at Ianto's flat. As Jack and he learned each other's desires they developed a fairly extensive repertoire of favorite activities. If the day was quiet with no rift activity, the foreplay would be slow and seductive, and either one might take control. If there was an alien chase with no injuries, Jack would wind Ianto up talking about it afterwards and Ianto would aggressively top Jack. An irritating call from UNIT or Parliament would put Jack in charge for the evening.

They also discovered a few things they didn't like. Well, Jack liked almost anything, but Ianto couldn't tolerate being blindfolded or restrained in any way. After several bouts of nightmares following and a panic attack during bondage play, they realized that the sensations were too similar to when Ianto was trapped in the archives. And Ianto would unconsciously project waves of fear anytime his right hand was pinned down.

Jack wasn't upset with some of Ianto's limitations; Ianto was an enthusiastic lover and generally gave as good as he got. And when he couldn't, Jack had other outlets for rough and kinky play. On rare occasions, particularly after a couple of bad days with London officials or if one of the team was injured, Jack would decline to come over to Ianto's flat for the evening.

Ianto was smart enough to know what as going on, and wise enough not to discuss it with Jack. Ianto could generally predict when these nights would occur; Jack would be very upset about something and the sex that night would be hot and furious, right on the edge of Ianto's comfort zone. And while Ianto never complained, Jack could sense when it was getting to be too much for Ianto and would seek comforts elsewhere the next evening if he wanted rougher play.

The only problem that Jack could see was that he just couldn't bring himself to tell Ianto about The Doctor. He knew that he would leave if/when The Doctor showed up, but he began to hope that maybe it wouldn't be so soon. Sometimes he surprised himself when he found himself wishing that The Doctor would never show up. But every time he thought about talking to Ianto, he would get distracted by Ianto's smile, or his luscious lower lip, or the long line of his legs, or his beautiful cock that Jack loved to suck.

'Later, I'll tell him later,' Jack thought. 'There's plenty of time.'


	43. Contentment

SUMMARY: Ianto begins his work for Torchwood Three. Despite some difficulties, he becomes accepted by the team and begins to enjoy a 'normal' (by Torchwood's standards) life. Chapter is rated PG for mild sexual references

**_The story title is from the following quote: Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty. Socrates_**Ianto's work relationships with the rest of the team also quickly solidified. He began working at Torchwood Three the Monday following his return to Cardiff and everyone accepted him without reservation. They were surprised at how funny and sarcastic he could be while still being a focused and dedicated archivist. He often brought in breakfast for everyone, started keeping track of ordering supplies; he even got Myfanwy on a regular meal schedule so she didn't try to steal everyone's lunches quite so often.

* * *

Owen tried to get Ianto to pick up after them, but Ianto refused, '_I'm not your Mum, you are perfectly capable of cleaning up your own messes. However, I will volunteer to make the coffee; I don't understand how you can take perfectly good beans, water and a beautiful coffee maker and produce that shite you call coffee._' Nobody was going to argue with him on that one.

He spent about half of his time in the archives, starting to catalogue everything from scratch. (He still shook his head every time he thought about the dozens of unidentified items dumped into drawers labeled 'alien artifacts.') Jack set up a second work station for him there so he could work with the Torchwood One software carefully entering information on the items in the files. He would man the tourist office for a few hours a day and used the time to begin to rebuild the elaborate cross-referencing architecture for linking reports, artifacts, and other data.

Tosh had generally been in charge of tracking aliens from the Hub when the other team members went into the field, but Ianto was anxious to be more involved with the day-to-day operations, so those duties were transferred to Ianto as well. He really had wanted to go into the field, but Owen forbade it. "Oi, Dr. Mason told you no rugby; do you think that weevil or hoix chasing is any less physical?"

Ianto knew he was right, but he hated feeling that he wasn't pulling his weight. The rest of the team, especially Tosh scoffed at the notion. "What, are you saying that I was a slacker when I was doing it," she queried. Ianto looked embarrassed. _'No, of course not, I just would like to be able to do something that got me out of the Hub once in a while.'_

"Well you could go and pick up Jack's dry cleaning," Owen teased.

"Oh no you don't," Jack interjected, "that's your job for the next month as payback for exploding that blowfish all over my coat."

As Ianto had predicted there were a few rough spots those first few months. He still tired easily and sometimes (especially following a wild night with Jack) he would find himself nodding off in the afternoon. He realized that Jack must be keeping an eye on him through the CCTV cameras, because Jack always located and woke him before anyone else was aware. He went to physical therapy twice a week on his way into work; he hated taking time away from the job, but Jack and Owen made it clear that they expected him to keep his appointments.

Jack was concerned about all the boxes from Torchwood One, so Ianto decided to spend an hour of his day trying to sort through some of them. He quickly realized that he was out of his depths. There were all sorts of records relating to the running of Torchwood One and he didn't know what to do with them. Budgets, schedules, personnel records, he didn't know if they should be destroyed, but they really didn't belong in their archives.

They set up some conference calls with Archie at Torchwood Two and decided that his staff would go through those types of records. Jack thought it should all be destroyed, but Archie had a more long-term view of the records. "Aye, it's tempting just to toss them, but they are part of the historical record of Torchwood itself. We'll probably just keep a sampling of them, but I'll have my team go through them and see what makes sense. In a hundred years, people may be interested in this information." They also agreed that Jack would receive copies of any records involving Yvonne Hartmann's Ghost Shift experiments.

Ianto began to regain the weight he had lost, and after two months, he and Jack went over to Clifton's one morning and had his second suit fitted as well as some adjustments made to the first suit. Everyone noticed on how much better he was looking. And since Jack was spending most nights at Ianto's flat, he was pleased to see that Ianto's nightmares had subsided and he was sleeping through most nights.

Ianto still had moments when the loss of Canary Wharf hit him hard. He had been in the archives one morning and didn't respond when Gwen called him to let him know that lunch had arrived. She reckoned he had his cell phone turned off, or perhaps the batteries were dead. She went down to look for him and found him in the room with the Torchwood One boxes.

He was holding a single sheet of paper and was staring off into space looking utterly despondent. While he wasn't crying, he had clearly done so; the tear tracks were obvious and his eyes were red and swollen. She sat down quietly next to him. "What have you got there, love," she asked gently. He handed her the paper, _'it's an employee birthday list for June. Almost two hundred names and I don't think anyone on the list got out alive.' _Gwen felt tears welling in her eyes as well. She had joined Torchwood after One had been destroyed and it was easy to forget how much horror Ianto had been through.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to have Owen come down, OK?" Ianto shook his head 'no,' but didn't say anything. She called Owen who came running down to the storage room, Jack right on his heals. Owen was giving Ianto a quick look over, much to Ianto's dismay.

'_I'm OK, really I am. It just took me by surprise, seeing all those names.' _Jack had been very diligent about keeping his promise to Ianto about physical contact when the others were around, but Jack could feel Ianto's mental turmoil and knew he needed to provide an anchor for him.

He motioned to Gwen and Owen to step back a bit. Sitting next to Ianto, he spoke to him so softly that they couldn't hear what he was saying. Jack took Ianto's face in his hands and turned him to look at Jack. As he continued to speak to Ianto, Owen and Gwen could see Ianto's body language relaxing and he even smiled a bit. Jack kissed him chastely on the forehead and helped Ianto to his feet.

"I think we'll just leave those boxes aside for now; maybe the rest of us can take a first look as time permits and separate out what Ianto needs to catalogue and what should go to Torchwood House." At a later meeting they agreed that each of them would do a quick inspection of two boxes a week and pull out anything that wasn't related to aliens. The rest would go to Ianto and he could catalogue the information without having to worry about finding anything that would trigger a flashback.

While much of his free time was spent with Jack, there were also times when they both needed their own space. Sometimes if the rift was acting up, Jack would stay at the Hub overnight, but insist that Ianto go home. It wasn't that Jack didn't want him around; he just knew that he wouldn't sleep and that his tossing and turning would keep Ianto awake as well.

Jack also wanted Ianto to have some down time with the others on the team as well as visit his sister's family. Sometimes he would join Ianto for these activities, mostly he didn't. He worried about Ianto not being able to cope if/when he left with The Doctor, and wanted to make sure that he had strong relationships with others as well.

And truthfully, one of Gwen and Rhys and Ianto's favorite activities was to go to the local pub and watching rugby, an activity that Jack thoroughly disliked. It was too noisy, too smoky, too much drinking for his taste. So he was perfectly happy to stay at Ianto's flat and listen to Big Band music or read a bit. He was always amused when Ianto returned from the pub, usually fairly drunk and would try to text to Jack what happened during that evening's match. His coordination was piss-poor when he drank and the voice synthesizer ended up sounding remarkably like an intoxicated person. Jack would tease him unmercifully about it and they would usually end up having playful sex, unless of course, Ianto passed out first.

For the first time since the fall of Torchwood One, Ianto could honestly say that he felt happy. It wasn't the life he had planned for, but he had been able to make a satisfying life out of what he had now. He had regained most of his physical health, had re-established relationships with his family, made new friends and found a wonderful lover.

So when Jack told him that an old friend, Captain John was in town, Ianto wasn't at all concerned.


	44. Have a Hart Part 1 of 2

SUMMARY: Ianto has a Hart. Need I say more. This chapter is rated M due to sexual content and is adult in nature.

_**A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with excellency of heart. Henry Fielding**_

Comments are truly appreciated. I do respond to each comment individually, just via PM. And really, you should have some type of reaction to this chapter.

* * *

Jack and Ianto were out for Thai one evening in May when Jack mentioned that an old friend of his was in town. "His name is John, Captain John Hart and he and I go way back, or is that forward?"

Ianto noticed Jack's discomfort and realized there was probably more to the story…a lot more. _'So just how good a friend is he, Jack? Was he a coworker, or maybe a bridge partner, or perhaps even a fuck buddy?'_

Jack almost chocked on his Pad Thai. '_You know Jack,' _Ianto snarked as he finished a spring roll, _'you could avoid that if you didn't stuff so much food in your mouth_.'

"I'mnt got tomch inme mth," Jack managed to say as he tried to swallow.

'_Yes, you do. It's a good_ _thing I'm proficient in several obscure languages or I'd never be able to figure out what you were saying. So what's the deal with John Hart, and don't spare the details.'_

"He and I were partners in the 51st Century when we both worked for the Time Agency. We would travel through time to stop criminals from taking advantage of future knowledge of a past period of time. That's it really."

Ianto arched one eyebrow in disbelief. "Ok," Jack confessed, "we did have a more involved relationship than that. He was pretty hot to tell the truth. Though I did start to tire of him when we got stuck in that time loop that lasted two years. I mean, how many different ways can you fu…"

'_Enough! Really that's more information than I needed. I don't need you to draw me a picture.' _

"Sorry, I got a little carried away."

'_And exactly how carried away are you planning on getting with him now that he's in town?'_

"No, no, you're misunderstanding me! I'm telling you because he wants to get together for dinner and I'd like you to be there."

'_Why, to watch you two in action?' _Ianto glared a bit at Jack.

"Ianto, you don't have to be jealous. I want you there so that he can't use one of his tricks to seduce me. When he sees us together, he'll know he won't stand a chance of it."

Ianto believed about half of what Jack said. Jack wanted him there, alright. But as a barrier, maybe; as an observer, likely; as a participant, most definitely. '_So when do we meet the illustrious Captain Hart?'_

"He staying at the St. David's Hotel and wants to take us to dinner at their restaurant, Tides, on Saturday."

'_That's pretty pricey isn't it?'_

"John can afford it. Wear the suit with the vest, I haven't seen you in that yet and as I recall you looked damn sexy in it. I want him to see what a beautiful lover I have."

Jack leaned across the table and kissed Ianto on the cheek. Ianto blushed; he still wasn't very comfortable about public displays of affection with Jack. _'Jack, what's really on here; I can tell you're up to something.'_

Jack put an exaggerated look of innocence on his face. "Me, up to something; how can you say that? I just want to annoy John a bit and then go home for a wild night with you. What's wrong with that?"

Ianto shook his head. He wasn't quite sure what Jack had in mind, but at least he'd be there to keep things under control.

Saturday morning Ianto cleaned his flat a bit and went to the grocery store for the second time that week. Since Jack stayed over more nights than not, Ianto realized he needed to adjust his buying habits to accommodate two people. 'Duw, I'm going to have to get Jack to go shopping with me, this is getting to be a bit much to handle without a car,' Ianto thought as he looked at how full his cart was becoming. He reckoned he'd end up taking a taxi home; there was no way he was going to be able to manage so much on a bus.

When he got back to his flat he took a nap. He was sure that it was going to be a very late evening and he wanted to be awake and alert when he met Captain John.

He bathed and shaved and dressed carefully in his three piece suit. He was nervous and a little bit excited. 'I feel like I'm going on a first date or something…this is ridiculous.'

Jack picked up Ianto promptly at 7 PM; they were meeting John at his hotel at 7:30. Ianto could see that Jack had taken extra care with his appearance as well. Ianto sighed as he wondered just how strange and uncomfortable this dinner was going to be. He also wondered if their host even knew that he was joining them for dinner.

'_Jack, does Captain John know I'm joining you two for dinner?'_

"Of course; I told him I wouldn't have dinner with him unless you were with me. Can't say he was thrilled with the idea, but I wasn't going to put myself in the position of being alone with him. He can very, very seductive, though he is also a bit mad really. You'll see."

'Oh good,' thought Ianto, I'm having dinner with my lover and his psychopathic ex-partner. I should have skipped the waistcoat and gone for a bullet proof vest instead.'

By the time they got to the hotel and parked Jack's car, it was almost 7:30 PM. They went up to the restaurant and were directed toward the back. Inside a private dining room there was a table set for three. Sitting at the table was a handsome man, older than Jack, a little more careworn, but very good looking nonetheless. As the man stood, Ianto quickly took in his chiseled features, his slightly swaggering walk, his feline grace, and his ruthless smile. Not to mention his sword. He walked over to them.

"Hello, Jack," he said softly as he kissed Jack on the cheek. As Ianto extended his hand to shake, John turned his attention to Ianto boldly checking him out. 'Gorgeous,' he thought. Ianto couldn't help but smile. "Well, you are," he said aloud, as he kissed Ianto's hand. Ianto noticed his eyes widen a bit as he noticed the scarring on his hand.

John motioned them over to the table and poured them some wine. "It's good to see you Jack, and your friend, very good to see him as well," he purred. As they drank the wine, John began to ask Ianto some questions.

"So you're Jack's new lover; I want you to tell me all about yourself," John smirked as he locked stares with Ianto.

Ianto pulled out his cell phone. He could see Jack watching the two of them carefully, not anxious exactly, but concerned at how John would react. Ianto hastily typed and played the message. _'I'm Ianto Jones, I'm from Cardiff and I've been with Jack for a while.'_ Ianto wasn't going to discuss his relationship with him so best to keep it short and to the point.

If John was startled by the speech synthesizer, he was very good at concealing it. "And if I may ask, how did the two of you meet?"

Ianto wasn't sure how much John knew (if anything) about Torchwood. He looked over at Jack who nodded his consent for Ianto to speak freely. _'Jack was assigned to oversee my care after The Battle of Canary Wharf. The hand and my ability to speak were my worst injuries, but I'm getting along alright.'_

John was obviously startled by that revelation. "By the goddess, you were at Torchwood One?" Ianto nodded. "May I see your mind for a minute?"

Ianto didn't understand what John was asking. He looked to Jack for an explanation. "Ianto, he wants to look at your memories. John is far more empathic than I am, and he surprisingly has the manners to ask first."

Ianto wasn't sure what he wanted to do. '_Will it hurt?' _he asked.

Jack and John both smiled. "No, not at all. You won't even be aware that he's doing anything," Jack assured him.

'_OK then, but don't go looking at personal stuff.'_

John laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it." John reached out and put his hand over Ianto's forehead. Ianto felt a little tingling but nothing painful or disturbing.

John sensed a huge emotional spike in Ianto's psyche and focused there. Sure enough, it was from his memories of the fall of Torchwood One. John could hear the Daleks and the Cybermen, people screaming, he even smelled the smoke of the fires that started toward the end. He jumped a little when the ceiling of the archives fell on Ianto and felt wave after wave of pain as Ianto lay trapped in the rubble. And his hand, my god, the hand was crushed, bones were pulverized and the pain…the pain.

John gasped as he removed his hand from Ianto's forehead. Ianto's eyes were closed and he had a calm look on his face. John was relieved to see that Ianto had no idea what he had seen. He chewed on his bottom lip as he looked at Ianto and then Jack.

"I hope you are taking good care of Mr. Jones. I have to admit when I saw you with him my first thoughts were of what a delightful bit of eye candy you had found. And he is that." John turned to look directly at Ianto. "But you're so much more, aren't you darling, so much more." He leaned over and brushed his lips against Ianto's before leaning back in his chair still looking thoughtfully at him.

"I came here with the intent of stealing Jack away from you, but now that I've seen your memories I don't think I can bring myself to do that. Even I have some standards of behavior, limited though they may be."

'_Well that's one less thing for me to worry about, yes?'_

"Though perhaps you'd be willing to share him for a night," John continued. "What do you think Eye Candy?"

Ianto was so startled that he choked a bit on his wine. John leaned over and slapped Ianto on the back a few times as he wiped Ianto's mouth with his napkin. Ianto was overwhelmed by the scent of dark chocolate and coffee and realized that they were emanating from John.

'_Duw, Jack, he's seducing me with his pheromones.'_

Jack sighed. "John, please don't do that to Ianto. Let's eat dinner like civilized men."

Ianto felt a little dizzy and looked down at the table to let his head clear, so he missed Jack smiling wickedly at John and raising his glass to him in a 'touché, John' salute.

Ianto was surprised that dinner turned out to be quite enjoyable. The food was exquisite, the wine probably cost as much as Ianto's weekly salary and John was remarkably good company. He paid close attention to Ianto, doting on his every move to the point that it was all a bit camp. Ianto had a bit of food on his lip; John took his napkin and wiped it off. Ianto had difficulty opening some oysters; John cracked the shells and tried to feed them to Ianto.

Ianto sensed Jack's initial concern with John's attentions, but felt him relax as John became more outrageous. Ianto glanced over at Jack and saw he was watching the two of them with a smirk on his face.

John ordered a bottle of fifty year old brandy as he recounted some of his adventures with Jack, nothing too racy, mostly funny or amazing. Ianto couldn't help but think it was a shame that John was obviously editing out all the sexy parts. "Oi, Eye Candy, that's for Lover Boy to tell you."

Jack laughed. "Oh, I'll not only tell you Ianto, I'll reenact some of the juicier bits with you." Ianto smiled but was a little concerned about the arousal he was feeling.

John flirted harder. "Maybe the three of us could go back to my room and make some new memories together." Jack snorted. "Was that a yes or a no?" John inquired.

"That's an 'it's up to Ianto' actually," Jack answered casually.

Ianto shot Jack a concerned look. "Really it's up to you, Ianto. John is obviously quite smitten with you, and you look like you're going to jump him any minute, so why not? I don't mind as long as I can watch."

Jack looked lustily at the two men. "In fact, I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing this evening then watching the two of you together."

Ianto's eyes glazed over a bit as John pushed out just a pinch of his chocolate and coffee essence. "So what do you think boy; interested in taking a ride on Captain's John's yacht?"

Ianto found it a little difficult to focus. He felt a bead of sweat roll down his back and was trying to avoid breathing heavily_. 'Yeah, why not, but nothing too rough.' _

"John, that means no restraining or bondage, please; its triggers flashbacks," Jack explained.

John smiled. "Oh I wouldn't worry about that. I'm going to make love to you Ianto until I hear your mind screaming my name." John had a way of dragging out the last syllable of Ianto's name that was so seductive. "You're going to discover that I have so much more to offer you than Jack can, Ianto. Maybe I'll revise my original plan and steal you from Jack, Iantooo," he laughed extending the last bit of Ianto's name.

"I have to admit that John does have some rather special modifications he's made to himself over the years. You really are in for a treat Ianto."

Ianto had no idea what they were talking about but he couldn't wait to get to John's room. As he stood up from the table the other two men began to laugh. Ianto was sporting an obvious erection. When Jack and John stood up, they snickered as they realized that they had impressive hard-ons as well.

"My, my, my, my, my," John repeated. "You can use your coats to cover yours, but I may have a little problem. Let's see what I can do about this." John closed his eyes, and Ianto watched in amazement as John's erection disappeared. "I never thought that anti-boner mod would come in handy, but I'm rather glad I didn't decline it at my last update."

John grabbed the bottle of brandy and the three men quickly left the restaurant and went to John's room.

Ianto shouldn't have been surprised to find that John had a sumptuous suite dominated by a huge round bed partially covered by a red velvet coverlet pulled back to reveal cool ivory satin sheets. John took Ianto by the hand and led him over to the middle of the room. Before Ianto had time to get his bearings, John took Ianto's face in his hands and was kissing him. He opened his mouth and John sucked on Ianto's tongue as waves of coffee and chocolate aroma surrounded him. He felt like his knees were going out from under him, and then Jack was behind him holding him steady. "Gorgeous. Delicious," Captain John sighed. Jack removed Ianto's suit jacket as John began to unbutton his waistcoat. Somehow John managed to massage Ianto's cock with his knee while he did this.

Jack reached around to undo Ianto's shirt and loosen his tie but didn't remove them. He began to massage Ianto's nipples as John returned to kissing Ianto deeply. Ianto moaned as the two men continued to touch and kiss him. John reached down and unbuckled Ianto's belt and carefully unzipped his trousers. He freed Ianto's cock from his pants and pushed both layers down Ianto's legs. He knelt down and took off Ianto's shoes and socks and finally helped him to step out of his clothes.

"Now that's a beauty," John said admiring Ianto's hard-on. Jack was holding Ianto around the waist and was gently rubbing his trouser encased erection against Ianto's bare arse. Ianto stood with his eyes closed drinking in the sensations of John's scent and Jack's touch.

"Look at me boy," John commanded. Ianto opened his eyes and gazed dreamily down at John. John was just touching the tip of his tongue to the tip of Ianto's cock. As Ianto continued to watch, John rolled his tongue around him, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. He took the head into his mouth and sucked lightly. Jack began to push Ianto deeper into John's mouth.

John stopped sucking long enough to order, "Fuck my mouth Iantooo, put your hands on my head and fuck me." Ianto grabbed John's hair in his hands and moved his hips in a slow rhythm. John reached around Ianto and pulled his arse cheeks apart. Jack had slicked up his fingers and keeping one hand on Ianto's hip he inserted one, then two fingers in Ianto. Ianto shuddered as Jack ghosted a finger across his prostate.

"Fuck him Ianto, don't hold back," Jack urged. Ianto began to thrust harder into John's hot, wet and willing mouth. He felt another finger enter him, and then another. 'Duw, they're both in me.' He felt Jack bite down on his shoulder as four fingers twisted inside him. 'Oh god,' Ianto silently moaned, 'oh god.'

He felt John increase the pressure of his mouth around his cock and Ianto responded by unmercifully pounding deep into John's throat. John felt Ianto's cock swell and moaned out a signal to Jack. Jack's two fingers began to thrust against Ianto's prostate while John's hand gently massaged his balls. Ianto was gasping for breath as each push of Jack's hand was driving him deeper into John's throat. He could feel his balls tighten and then Jack and John were pushing and squeezing as his hips jerked and he shot jet after jet of come down John's throat. John continued to suck hard until Ianto finally was spent.

Ianto was pretty sure that that was the most intense orgasm he had every experienced. Jack and John smiled having read his thoughts. John stood up and kissed Ianto, opening his mouth to allow Ianto's tongue to explore. "Taste yourself, Ianto, what a wonderful dessert." Jack reached around and tweaked Ianto's nipples causing Ianto to jump. John broke the kiss with Ianto and whispered, "The best is yet to come, Eye Candy."


	45. Have a Hart Part 2 of 2

SUMMARY: Jack and Ianto both have a Hart. This chapter is rated mature for sexual activity.

_**A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination. Nelson Mandela**_

* * *

Ianto couldn't fathom what John had in mind next. But he wasn't surprised when Jack and John half walked half carried him over to the enormous bed. Jack and John stood and stared at Ianto as he lay on his back, still breathing heavily with legs splayed and his eyes closed.

John sighed, "You have the most fuckable body I've seen in a long time Iantooo."

Jack laughed. "But just remember John, you get a taste tonight, but I get to gorge myself on beautiful Ianto every night." They both smiled as they saw Ianto begin to get hard again.

"Ianto look at me," John commanded. I'm going to fuck you now, and I promise it's not going to be like anything you've experienced before. If there's any gen mode you don't like just shake your head no and I'll change it. OK?"

Jack saw the puzzled look on Ianto's face. "He's had enhancements made to his dick. Wonderful, amazing enhancements." Ianto's own cock jumped at that statement.

'Condoms, we need a condom,' Ianto pushed out. John looked confused.

"Ianto, John also has nanogenes that fix any injury or illness he gets. So he can't give you an STD. He may give you a heart attack before he's done, but nothing infectious, OK?" Ianto nodded.

Jack stripped out of his clothes and lay down next to Ianto. "Let yourself go, Ianto, don't be afraid to let yourself go." He kissed Ianto deeply and let Ianto explore his mouth with his tongue. Ianto sighed as Jack moved to lean against the leather headboard to watch. Jack spread his legs wantonly and began to gently stroke his cock. "I like the view; I wish the show would start already."

John smirked and quickly stripped out of his own clothes. He took two of the numerous pillows on the bed and pushed them under Ianto's hips. John stroked Ianto's cock just enough to focus him. "I have to ask, you're so tight. Was Jack your first?" Ianto nodded. "Does he take you in one stroke or does he work his way in?" He felt Ianto push out with a vision of Jack slowly and patiently working himself into Ianto.

"Oh Ianto, you are in for a treat. Spread your legs wider, Eye Candy." Ianto willingly complied. John positioned himself between Ianto's legs and licked the back of his cock from root to tip. Ianto moaned and bucked. He tongue circled each of Ianto's balls and then moved down to his tight hole. John moved his tongue around the opening and began to gently push in. Ianto bucked again as he felt John's tongue entering him. John's tongue was wet and hot and Ianto knew he wouldn't last long if John kept flitting his tongue inside him. Jack was moaning somewhere behind him as John used his tongue to stretch Ianto.

"My god, you are tight. There are planets where an arse like yours could fetch a king's ransom." John wanted to enter Ianto completely on the first stroke but knew he couldn't without causing great discomfort to Ianto. As much as he hated to, he chose the mod 'juvenile' and watched his cock shrink a little in thickness. He also had activated the automatic lubrication mod and his cock shone with a special coating that would generate heat with friction.

John lined up his cock with Ianto's hole and in one swift movement he seated himself firmly inside him. As he slowly fucked Ianto, he let his cock revert to normal size. Ianto had his legs wound tightly around John's waist and he was writhing in rhythm with John's thrusts. John activated another mod. Ianto felt barbs scratching inside him. 'Too painful, too painful,' his brain managed to register. His eyes flew open and he shook his head 'no.'

"John," Jack growled as he saw that John wasn't backing off.

"Ok, ok," John grumbled. "Sorry Sweetheart, I thought you'd like that. Its one of Jack's favorites. Cat," John stated smiling up at Jack.

John lengthened and widened his cock a bit and continued to leisurely fuck Ianto. Ianto's cock was leaking pre-come and John could see that he was very close to climaxing. "Oh no, you little whore," John teased, "You don't come until I let you." Ianto felt something strange happening. Something thin and oily was wrapping around his cock, stroking it rapidly. He opened his eyes to see…Oh My God…a tentacle twirling around his cock like the stripe on a barber's pole. His head fell back as he felt his orgasm growing. And then it stopped.

He looked a second time and saw that the tentacle had wrapped around the base of his cock and circled up to wrap tightly around the head. A second tentacle had appeared and wrapped tightly around his balls. Jack was stunned. This was new. John laughed wickedly. "Yeah, had an expansion pack installed a while back; this has to be my new favorite...tentacle cock ring and ball spreader."

John methodically increased the pace of his thrusts while also increasing the size of his cock. The increased friction warmed the lubrication and Ianto felt like he was going to catch fire. Ianto's red/purple cock was engorged with blood and his balls were trying to contract but the tentacles effectively prevented him from having an orgasm. He jerked and bucked with each stroke as John expertly hit his prostate.

Jack was incredibly turned on by the site of Ianto and started to stroke himself in earnest. "Jack, why don't you put that delicious dick of yours in Ianto's mouth," John suggested. "If you suck him Eye Candy until he comes, I may just let you come as well."

Jack moved over to straddle Ianto's chest. Ianto was so lost in his own feelings that he wasn't even aware of Jack until he felt Jack pushing himself into his mouth. And then he couldn't think of what to do. He looked at Jack with glazed eyes and Jack realized that Ianto needed to be brought back to reality. He stroked Ianto's face gently, "Come on Ianto, suck me a little." Ianto began to suck lightly. "Oh god, harder, please harder." Ianto began to suck him deeply as Jack began to fuck Ianto's mouth at the same tempo that John was using to fuck Ianto's arse.

It had been a long time since John and Jack had fucked someone together, but like riding a bicycle, the skill of synchronizing their thrusts as well as their eventual orgasms was practically instinctual.

Ianto was sucking Jack as hard and deeply as he could; he was sure he was going to pass out if he didn't come soon. Jack and John sensed this and thrust hard and fast so they could all come together. 'Please, John, let me come, I can't take this,' Ianto's mind cried out. John activated another mod and his cock began to vibrate inside Ianto. 'OhgodOhgodOhgod!' Ianto chanted silently.

John and Jack's thrusts began to stutter and Ianto felt the tentacles releasing their hold and stroking him ruthlessly. John and Jack cried out together, Ianto silently screamed John's name as he came as well. He swallowed Jack's come as he felt John releasing liquid heat inside of him. He moaned again as the tentacles were literally milking every drop of come out of his cock and balls. He felt dizzy and then everything went dark.

Jack felt Ianto go slack around him and pulled out immediately. He lifted Ianto's eyelids and listened for a heartbeat. Thank the goddess, Ianto had only fainted. John finally realized that something was wrong and pulled out as well. "Oh no, did we kill him," John snarked.

Jack was furious. "You bastard, that's not funny." He swung at John who easily ducked Jack's fist.

"Ok, bad joke, it's just that usually it takes a dozen or more mods before my bedmates loose consciousness."

"Still not funny," Jack snarled. He moved Ianto into a more upright position and turned his head so he wouldn't choke.

"Ooohhhh, I love it when you go all animal on me."

Jack launched himself at John knocking him flat on the bed. He pinned him down kissing him while forcing John's mouth open. John sucked on Jack's tongue until Jack thought he might pass out. Breaking off the kiss Jack expertly flipped John over on his stomach. He knelt on John's thighs and quickly spread John's arse. He frotted his cock between John's cheeks growling, "I'm taking you like the dog you are" as he entered John in one powerful thrust. Jack pummeled John without mercy. Even without the assistance of mods, angry sex with Jack was a mind-blowing experience.

Jack pulled John's hips up so that every stroke was hitting John's prostate. John was struggling in vain to change positions as his head began to collide with the headboard.

Ianto opened his eyes and saw Jack fucking John, heedless to John's cries for him to stop. "Jack, please, let me get in a more comfortable position," he begged but Jack was relentless.

"You….never… know…when…to …quit…John," Jack said through clenched teeth as he punctuated each word with a brutal thrust that slammed John's head against the headboard repeatedly. "You…need…to… learn…some…limits." He bit the back of John's neck hard, drawing blood. Ianto closed his eyes as he felt a wave of fear wash over him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt him Jack, I swear." "On your word of honor?" Jack asked. Suddenly they both burst into laughter. Ianto peeked out to see Jack pulling out of John and letting John up from under him. "On my word of honor. Oh Jack that was a good one," John smirked.

John pushed Jack onto his back and impaled himself on Jack's cock. As John rode Jack he smiled, "I think I've fucked a couple thousand men, women and aliens, since I saw you last, and I have to confess that nobody, nobody does angry sex like you do."

Jack took John's cock in his hand and stroked him in time with his thrusts into John. "Oh yeah, baby, fuck me harder," John begged. Jack grabbed John's hips and pushed up finding that spot that made John crazy. John was slamming down on Jack taking the direct hits hard and fast. John cried out Jack's name and began to come over his fist. Jack came two thrusts later shouting something incomprehensible to Ianto but causing John to laugh.

John pulled off of Jack and noticed that Ianto was watching them with concern. "Look who's back with us," John said as he moved over next to Ianto. "Don't be afraid, Eye Candy, Jack and I have always had a rough and tumble relationship. It's all in fun and no harm done."

'But he bit you and there was blood running down your back,' Ianto fretted.

John turned to show Ianto his unblemished back and neck. "See, all gone. The nanogenes took care of it. Its almost as good as being immortal, but I could die if I was hurt badly enough."

Ianto reached out to touch John's neck but before he could stop himself he leaned his head against John's back and closed his eyes. John could feel Ianto shaking a little as he put his arms around John. John looked over at Jack with concern. Jack moved behind Ianto stroking his hair gently comforting him. "Shhh, it's OK, its just a game John and I like to play."

'I thought you really hurt him.'

John was confused. "And that would bother you?"

'Yes, of course. I don't want anyone to hurt you.'

John turned and folded his arms around Ianto holding him in a tight embrace. "You really are special, Eye Candy."

John and Ianto began to kiss again, this time more leisurely, less competitively than before. John was sucking on Ianto's neck and collarbone, leaving blossoming love bites in his wake. He rolled each of Ianto's nipples with his fingers until the small pebbles of flesh were hard. As he pushed Ianto back onto the bed he began to suck his left nipple. Jack clamored to the other side of Ianto and began to suck his right one. The two men reached down and wrapped their hands around Ianto's cock. Ianto moaned and bucked up against the double assault.

"You know Jack," John purred, I'd really like to see Ianto fuck you. What do you think darling, would you like to fuck Jack while I watch?" Ianto bucked again as John added a twisting motion to his strokes.

Jack laughed. "I think that means yes." Ianto nodded. Jack pulled Ianto up to a sitting position and kissed him passionately. Ianto sucked on Jack's tongue until Jack broke the kiss. "I swear Ianto; you could make me come right now, just with your kisses."

John moved Jack a little away from Ianto and turned him over. "Assume the position, Jack." Jack knew exactly what John wanted and moved onto his hands and knees. He turned to look at Ianto and slowly and provocatively lowered his head to the bed and pushed his arse up in the air. John lubed several fingers and shoved them roughly into Jack. Jack hissed and stilled until he felt his body relax a bit. He than began to fuck himself on John's fingers, never breaking eye contact with Ianto. "So good Ianto, feels so good. But not as good as you. Come on Ianto, I need you, I need you now," Jack moaned.

Ianto looked at John who motioned him over. Ianto knelt behind Jack as John continued to finger him. "Go on Ianto," John urged, "you can enter him while my fingers are still in him." Ianto felt his balls tighten. He lined himself up as best he could and tried (a little clumsily) to push in beside John's fingers. John grasped Ianto's cock and helped to guide him into Jack.

'Duw, this is amazing,' Ianto thought. As he began to thrust into Jack, he realized that John's fingers were not working on Jack anymore but were stroking him along the vein on the underside of his cock. Jack was pushing back onto Ianto's cock hard as his hand gripped the sheets underneath him.

Finally, John slid his fingers out of Jack, his fingers scraping along Ianto's cock. Ianto jumped at the sensation, hitting Jack's prostate full force. Jack cried out and bit his lower lip. "Oh god, Ianto, so good, so good, harder please baby, harder."

Jack reached a hand over to stroke himself, but John slapped it away. "Not yet. When Ianto's done with you, I'm fucking you myself so save it a while." Jack groaned. John continued, "Oh yeah, Jack, I'm going to fuck you within an inch of your life; in fact I may just fuck you beyond that and see how fast you come back."

Both Jack and Ianto moaned at that. Ianto was fucking Jack furiously as he approached his orgasm. John watched in fascination as Ianto's neck muscles stretched as he threw his head back in ecstasy. In fact Ianto's whole body was arched and stretched as tightly as a piano wire. In the soft light of the room, Ianto's sweat covered body almost glowed. John thought he had never seen anything quite so erotic. Finally, Ianto felt the familiar rush, his muscles tightening and then he was pulsing into Jack.

When he finally stopped thrusting, Ianto could feel his legs shaking. As he pulled out, John scooted behind him and kissed him repeatedly on the back of his neck. "Oh Eye Candy, that was beautiful," he whispered to Ianto. "Come over and relax while I finish him off." He moved Ianto back gently until he was resting against the headboard. He ran his hand across Ianto's cheek as he snogged him long and deep. John looked over and saw that Jack had lifted his head a bit and was watching them with a smile.

"I didn't forget about you," John laughed. He moved behind Jack, pushed Jack's arse up a bit higher, and slammed into him. "Good thing Ianto lubed you up for me." He purred as he reveled in the feel of Ianto's come surrounding his cock. John activated his mods and Jack began to whine. Ianto watched them with fascination. "Yeah, Cat always does that to him. Though I really think he should mew." John's idea of a great fuck was to get through at least a dozen mods before his partner came or passed out or both. And he was determined to have a really great final fuck with Jack.

"I know you were fascinated by this," John smiled as two tentacles began to extrude from the base of his cock. As with Ianto they wound around Jack's cock and his balls and tightened. Jack groaned. "Hmmm….how about a little wave action." Jack felt pulses of heat ricocheting off his prostate. "Fuckfuckfuckfuck," Jack's mind was chanting. "And for a bonus, let's add a little vibration." Jack shouted, "Fuck!" as he was assaulted by the heat, the barbs, and the pulsing simultaneously. His cock was aching but he was helpless to relieve himself.

John teased, "Let's try something new, shall we. How about a Loxthorian adaptation." Jack had no idea what this was. The barbs disappeared and just as Jack was taking a relief breath another sensation hit him. He screamed and then whimpered as John's member felt like it was wrapped in very fine sandpaper. "Please John, oh god, too much, too much."

"Come on Jack, you can take it."

"You fucker, this hurts like of son of a bitch," Jack growled. John shut the mod off and sighed. "I've yet to find any human who really likes that one, a shame really."

He hit another mod and Jack felt John's cock lengthen and widen inside of him. "Now this new one darling, I know you'll like. Similar to 'horse', but just a bit more. It's called mega-weevil." Ianto sat up at that. He watched with fascination as Jack groaned and squirmed as John ruthlessly rode him. He could almost see how Jack was being stretched by John's expanding cock. "And for the grand finale, let's use the jackhammer and prostate cup."

Ianto watched as Jack's eyes seemed to be bugging out of his head. The huge weevil cock was pistoning inside Jack at a furious rate. And something was applying constant pressure to his prostate that was accentuated by the pistoning. "Come on Jack, scream for John. Come on, let Ianto know what I do to you." Jack shook his head 'no.'

John notched up all three mods and added some heat/friction lubrication. Jack shouted incoherently and groaned as John gleefully continued his assault. Ianto began to feel nervous once more. John observed Ianto's concern. "Ianto, relax. Go scoot next to Jack and stroke him."

Ianto moved to lay on his back next to Jack, reaching under him and stroked him tentatively. "Ianto," John growled, "stroke him in time with me." Ianto increased his speed, and Jack began to howl under the dual assault.

"I take things too far, Jack? Yeah, guess I do. But you like it that way, you slut!" The tentacles loosened as John began to shoot great weevil sized jets of come into Jack's arse. The sudden freedom of his cock and his balls pushed Jack over the edge. He pulsed come over Ianto's hand and onto the bedding. John continued to thrust into Jack until he felt Jack's knees giving out under him. He quickly shut off all his mods and withdrew a very nice but very average looking flaccid dick out of Jack.

Jack lay face down on the bed trying to catch his breath. John got up, used the washroom and brought back a damp towel to clean them all up. Jack rolled over for John but lay quietly in a stupor as John gently wiped the sweat and semen off of Jack. "Now that's a well fucked man," John smirked with satisfaction as he observed Jack.

John moved over to the headboard where Ianto was leaning still in a bit of a daze. He looked down as John cleaned him up but his mind was unable to put together a coherent thought.

John laid Ianto down putting several soft pillows under his head. He kissed Ianto's forehead as he gently stroked his face. "You were fantastic Eye Candy, just fantastic. If you liked tonight, you can talk to Jack about having me stop by sometime for another visit." John gave him a final kiss, got up from the bed, stretched and began to look for his clothes.

'What are doing?' Ianto thought.

"Oh baby, I'm just the after dinner entertainment. You and Jack can have the room until check out time at 11."

Ianto looked at John in confusion. "It's generally customary for the third wheel to make themselves scarce once the party's over." John continued to gather up his clothes and started to get dressed.

'No.'

"What do you mean, Ianto?"

'No. Don't leave. Stay.'

It was John's turn to feel confused. "But why? Don't tell me you want to go another round." John had his back turned away from Ianto as he spoke. He startled as he heard Ianto slap the bed loudly. He turned to see Ianto pointing next to him.

'You get over here right now and get into bed._'_

"Bossy, aren't you?" John snarked.

Ianto gave him his 'don't piss me off look.'

"Ok, getting into bed, see here I am." John was back into his camp mode. He got into the bed next to Ianto and faced him. He couldn't keep the look of curiosity off his face.

Ianto leaned over and lightly kissed him on the lips and stroked his cheek. 'I don't want you to go.'

John sighed. This was getting very strange even by John's standards. "Ianto, what's going on here? Unless you are proposing a permanent three way arrangement, why would you want me to stay?"

'Because I can sense your sadness, and your loneliness. We've all had an amazing night together and I can't stand the thought of you leaving here feeling that way.'

John peered over Ianto and saw that Jack was sleeping soundly. He moved onto his back and pulled Ianto next to him.

"I don't know what to say. You've probably ascertained that Jack sometimes asks me to have a go with him and a lover when I'm in town." Ianto nodded. "I've known Jack for a long, long time, Ianto. And to be frank, I've slept with him and many, many of his lovers. But you are the only one who has ever asked me to stay. Ever. You should be jealous, or worried or angry at me, but you just don't have it in you, do you."

'I was all those things before I met you, and I probably should be more so now, but I'm not. I can't explain it, I'm just not.'

John sighed. Ianto wasn't just a beautiful body, but he had a rare and beautiful heart as well. He had invited Jack and Ianto to dinner with such devious intentions but things had taken a strange but wonderful turn.

"Ianto, can I say thank you with a gift?" Ianto smiled as he remembered the line that Jack had used about saying sorry the only way he knew how. John sensed Ianto's thoughts and laughed. "Yeah, that's Jack. Always apologizing with his intergalactically renowned blow jobs. No, this is something quite different. I'd like to have my nanogenes see what they can do for your hand. Probably nothing functionally, but perhaps cosmetically. And no, it won't really hurt too much, maybe smart a bit."

Ianto hesitated. He had pretty good use of his hand and he really didn't want to do anything that might damage it. "Ianto, I promise they won't do any harm. I'm not going to have them try to rewire any neural pathways or anything like that, so they won't improve your hand's functioning or be able to help your speech. I wish they could, but they aren't familiar enough with your physiology to chance it. "

Ianto took a deep breath in, slowly let it out and nodded 'yes.' John sat up and leaned against the headboard. He motioned for Ianto to sit between his legs in front of him and lean back onto his chest. As Ianto did so, he heard a slight buzzing sound and saw a cloud of particles moving to surround his hand. It stung a bit, tickled a bit, but didn't hurt much until the last minute or so. Ianto closed his eyes and began to twitch a bit as the sensations were becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"Hang in there Eye Candy. We're almost there, just a few more seconds." Ianto was getting very distressed. It was getting painful and hot and oh…the sensations stopped.

Ianto opened his eyes and saw that the particles had disappeared. He looked at his hand and breathed in sharply. The scarring, while not completely gone had been reduced substantially. In fact, anyone who didn't know about his injuries would now be hard pressed to visually detect any defects in the hand's appearance. John held the hand up and nodded with satisfaction. Ianto twisted around to kiss John. 'Thank you John. I guess since I didn't think anything could be done, I convinced myself that the scarring didn't matter. But I can't tell you how happy this makes me.'

John smiled. "I sensed your embarrassment at its appearance when I kissed your hand. I'm glad you like the results." John shook his head and yawned. "That took a little more out of me than I anticipated. Let's sleep for a little while, OK?"

John lay down with Ianto spooned around his back. John sighed. "I just want you to know that if Jack ever does a runner on you like he did on me or hurts you or you just need a friend, I'm going to put some contact information in your cell phone. You'll have to commandeer a satellite feed to do it, but I'll make sure you have all the details you'll need. And I promise if I can come to help you I will."

Ianto tightened his arms around John and they both drifted off to sleep.

When Ianto woke up, it was light out and John was gone. Jack was spooned around him sleeping peacefully. Ianto almost thought he had been dreaming until he saw a single red rose on the bed where John had slept. He smiled to himself, snuggled deeper into Jack's embrace and fell back to sleep.


	46. Memory

SUMMARY: Ianto continues to enjoy his new life back in Cardiff but faces new challenges as the 1st Anniversary of the Battle at Canary Wharf. This chapter is rated PG for language and a few sexual references.

RP - Penny Smith, Matt Lauer, Huw Edwards used with great admiration, no disrespect intended

**_When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Author Unknown_**

* * *

Life continued on through the first half of 2007 with Ianto enjoying his work and new friends and family.

He took Jack to meet Rhiannon and Johnny not long after his return to Cardiff and was relieved to find that they liked Jack very much. Mum liked him as well, especially as Jack had managed to pick up a smattering of Welsh during his time in Cardiff. Mica adored Uncle Jack, and squealed when her question about whether Jack was Ianto's boyfriend was answered.

"Yes, he is my boyfriend; what do you think of that," Jack teased. He almost lost it when Mica told him that she wanted to be the flower girl at their wedding. "Oh, I don't know that we're ready for that," Jack told her with a twinkle in his eye, but I promise if we do, you can absolutely be our flower girl."

David was a little in awe of Captain Jack and asked him numerous questions about the planes he had flown and the combat he had seen. Ianto worried that he'd start talking about WWII era events, but Jack always remembered to keep his discussions with David centered on the first Gulf War. Most of the time though, Ianto would bring Owen along for a visit. Owen continued to be a family favorite; Ianto almost felt a little jealous of the way Mica would cling to him whenever he visited.

He occasionally heard directly from The Brigadier. In late February, after the Canary Wharf Task Force met in London (including Jack), The Brigadier called to let Ianto know that he was receiving a 2.1 million pound lump sum settlement. Ianto expressed his gratitude and asked The Brigadier about getting the lease on his flat changed over to his name. The Brigadier chuckled. "Yes the 8,000 pounds or so we'd save on your flat will be a big help to UNIT at budget time." Ianto pointed out that it wouldn't look good for him to have received such a large settlement and still have UNIT covering his personal expenses.

He was able to maintain contact with most of his friends in London. He talked (via text message) to Stephen in London almost every week. Stephen had enjoyed a couple of months of sobriety before relapsing on St. Patrick's Day. After another stint in rehab, Stephen was seriously working his program and attending Alcoholic's Anonymous meetings daily. Ianto was surprised when several months later he received a long handwritten letter from Stephen apologizing for the hash brownies and his near overdose on New Years. He shared the letter with Owen who was pleased to see that Stephen was giving more than lip service to his recovery. "Oi, he's going to be very busy making amends with everyone considering," Owen remarked after reading the letter. "If he wrote you a three page letter, imagine how long the letters to The Brigadier and Aaron are going to be."

_'I think he may be writing something the size of War & Peace for his Tad.'_

Ianto also exchanged messages with Aaron several times a week. Aaron was thinking about retiring from the military and starting up a software security firm. He invited Ianto to be a partner with him in the business if this came to pass but Ianto didn't think he'd have time for that type of commitment, traveling back and forth between London and Cardiff. He and Aaron continued to swap ideas on the security applications they were individually working on. They never discussed their personal lives except when Aaron would regale Ianto with his latest round of dating disasters.

Ianto was sorry to hear that the 50 year old writer that had seemed so promising when Aaron first met him had turned out to be a disappointment. After only a few dates, he invited Aaron to come home and meet his mother (who he lived with) as well as their cats.

"Twenty cats! Can you imagine? I knew about his mother, and he said he had cats, but twenty of them? To make matters worse, we sit down to tea, and he and his mum are letting them eat off their plates and were quite upset when I wouldn't let any of them eat off of mine. She called me heartless." Ianto IM'd some laughing cat faces back to Aaron.

"I couldn't get out of that house fast enough."

'_You know Aaron, you'd have much better luck if you would just be a little more open-minded,' Ianto snarked._

"Yeah, maybe I should take out a personal add that reads, 'Heartless bastard looking for guy who doesn't live with his mum, has a job and has five or less pets.' That should weed out some of the weirder ones."

'_Don't forget the all important, 'no dead bodies buried in the garden, please.'_

Jonathan also talked to Ianto regularly, and even came to Cardiff twice to visit him. The first time he stayed with Owen, the second time he told Ianto that he was getting a room at the Holiday Inn.

'_Yeah, I can understand, Owen does snore up a storm, doesn't he?'_

Jonathan snickered, "You know he said the same thing about you when I stayed with him on my first visit. Actually, I'm coming up with a lady friend, we've just gotten engaged and I wanted you and Owen to meet her." Ianto was quite surprised by this announcement; he had no idea that Jonathan was seeing anybody seriously.

When he and Jack and Owen went to take the couple out to dinner, Ianto was gob-smacked to see that his fiancée was Kelly. Owen was stunned as well. Jack was oblivious. Afterwards, when Ianto told him who Kelly was, Jack was astounded. "Well she certainly wasn't uncomfortable being around her old lover with her new lover."

'_I wouldn't say we were ever lovers, it was just an enjoyable casual shag for both of us.'_

"You should have kept up with her Ianto; we could have had a lot of fun, the three of us." Ianto rolled his eyes.

His contact with Bryan faded out, but they hadn't been very close anyway. Jonathan and Stephen kept Ianto current with Bryan's latest forays into dating. Ianto wasn't surprised to hear that his 'relationship' with Suzanne had ended soon after New Years.

Ianto and Tosh played chess regularly during lunch and while Ianto's playing improved, he never managed to do more than squeak out a draw once in a while. She'd show him how to avoid a type of mistake only to trip him up on another one a few moves later.

Ianto continued his pub nights with Gwen and Rhys. Johnny joined them on occasion, and he and Rhys became close friends. The only problem was that Rhys supported the Swansea Ospreys while Johnny was a loyal Newport Gwent Dragons supporter. Nobody minded, Ianto stuck by his Cardiff Blues and they would good naturedly tease each other about the failings of their respective teams.

He stopped going to physical therapy in April and everyone was pleased (and a little stunned) to see how quickly the scarring on his hand had faded.

Life was good for the most part. He and Jack were comfortable being together and as promised Jack's infrequent 'outside activities' were invisible to everyone but Ianto. Ianto reckoned that they would probably be invisible even to him if he didn't have empathic ability.

Like most couples, they had their disagreements and spats, but they normally were able to work through their differences. The main problem they faced was that they could both be very stubborn. So when they locked horns, neither one of them wanted to back down. Ianto reckoned that he ended up giving in twice as often as Jack, but he really hated conflict and couldn't stand Jack being pouty and disagreeable.

He was so busy that thoughts about Canary Wharf were pushed into the far recesses of his consciousness. He almost never had nightmares anymore and his mind drifted to the Battle with diminishing frequency.

Ianto was surprised when Jack came to talk to him in April about plans in London for the memorial service on the anniversary of the destruction of Torchwood One at Canary Wharf. The Brigadier had phoned Jack to ask him to come to London to discuss the plans. Jack had suggested that Ianto come with him, but The Brigadier was adamant that Ianto not attend.

When Jack expressed his surprise, The Brigadier explained. "He's part of the service, but this is being very carefully scripted by the PR folks at UNIT, as well as The Queen's and Parliament's representatives. Once we decide the extent of his involvement, then we'll get his input."

Plans were finalized in May. There would be a Memorial Service at St. Pauls Cathedral attended by The Queen and The Prime Minister as well as those survivors and family of the victims as could be accommodated. There would also be a ceremony conducted by UNIT at Canary Wharf where the names of the victims would be read and a memorial plaque would be unveiled. Ianto was asked to lay a wreath at the plaque and the Brigadier would make a few remarks. The Prime Minister would attend but whether The Queen would attend was still under consideration.

The Brigadier, Owen and Martha would be with Ianto throughout the memorial activities but Ianto was surprised that Jack would not be attending. Since the entire day would be televised, everyone agreed that Jack's presence would lead to added speculation about Torchwood's mission. And since this was supposed to be to honor the victims of the 'largest terrorist attack on British soil,' they wanted to avoid focusing on the quasi-government agency.

As predicted, requests for interviews with a survivor poured into UNIT from all parts of the globe. UNIT sorted these through, offering experts to speak for most of them. They had already set up interviews for Ianto with ITV in Cardiff, BBC1 in London and CNN International. After much discussion, The Today Show (US) was added to the list. The Today Show had wanted to fly Ianto to New York, but UNIT refused on his behalf as it being too strenuous.

Much to their dissatisfaction, all the program directors were required to submit a list of questions prior to the interviews. They grumbled about press restrictions, until a UNIT PR person explained that they were trying to avoid any unnecessary distress to Ianto. They were also warned that any offensive or unapproved questions would lead to immediate termination of the interview.

The interview on ITV went off without a hitch. It was all pre-recorded and the final cut was approved by UNIT so nothing could go awry. As Owen had predicted he was seen as the "hero from Cardiff" and much of the interview focused on how he liked being back in Cardiff ('It's good to be home, I missed my family'), his new flat ('It's brilliant') as they showed a few interior shots of it and naturally, which rugby team he supported.

'_Cardiff Blues, of course.' _Anchor Penny Smith pretended to be shocked. "You don't support the Ospreys?"

'_Well they're a great team as well,' _Ianto answered diplomatically, _'and when they are playing an exhibition against an English team, of course I cheer them on.'_

She teased him good naturedly about his voice software ("you don't really sound that cultured do you?") and made thoughtful remarks when he spoke about using the Welsh language software with his mum. When she asked him what he missed most about London, he did choke up a bit telling her about Charlie.

'_Yeah, he was my best friend all through college and after; I wasn't surprised to hear that he didn't leave the area when he could have. My physical losses are small compared to losing him.' _A cut to Ms. Smith showed her to be tearing up as well.

The reaction to the interview was extremely positive. Mail poured in for Ianto offering him help, money, a specially modified car, even several marriage proposals. UNIT, Jack and Archie as well as The Queen's representatives were thrilled. The public seemed unaware that Torchwood was never directly mentioned in the interview; all references were to the Terrorist Attack in London, or Canary Wharf. They were sure that they weren't going to get that lucky with the other interviews, but the local one helped to build Ianto's confidence.

The CNN interview turned out to be a non-event. CNN had done extensive interviews with government and UNIT officials and used only a couple of sentences from Ianto's interview where he spoke about hoping that something of this magnitude never happened to anyone, anywhere, ever again. They weren't interested in the survivors per se, which suited UNIT just fine. And when they asked Ianto about the political ramifications of the attack, or Torchwood's role, Ianto found himself having to cite confidentiality concerns or saying he didn't know much about politics and the like.

Ianto however was not happy. '_They put me in makeup, grill me for 2 hours and then use two sentences in their piece. You have got to be kidding.'_

The Brigadier and Owen smiled at his reaction. They didn't tell Ianto how relieved they were that his numerous, "I don't knows" and "I haven't given it much thoughts" weren't broadcast. "He would have looked like he was lying or stupid," Owen told The Brigadier after the broadcast had been shown.

"Fortunately, for us, he looked so lost and confused during the interview, that even CNN could see there wasn't any point in showing most of it. They were actually pretty sympathetic." The Brigadier continued, "They realized that they shouldn't have asked for the interview unless they wanted to do a human interest piece, given that Ianto was in a very low level position at the time of the attack."

BBC1 and The Today Show ended up combining efforts and managed to produce a very moving one hour special. They focused on Ianto's life since joining Torchwood prior to the attack, his rescue from the archives, his rehabilitation and his new life back in Cardiff.

In exchange for some 'exclusive footage' of Ianto from UNIT, the two networks backed off some of the more intense questions they were going to ask. The hour long special program was shown live in the U.S. at 7 AM and taped for broadcast that evening in the UK. Everyone was very nervous on how the show would go. They set up the studio more like a talk show with Ianto sitting on a sofa in the middle, Huw Edwards from BBC1 and Matt Lauer from The Today Show sitting on a sofa to his left and with Owen, Martha, and the Brigadier sitting on his and another sofa to his right. Ianto was extremely puzzled about the extra row of chairs that were placed behind the lounge furniture.

Huw Edwards started off by talking about his role in anchoring the 6 PM news when the events of September 11th occurred in the US. Matt Lauer spoke about being an anchor at for the NBC's Today Show when news broke about Torchwood One being destroyed by terrorists. Matt Lauer continued explaining that the US had been horrified by the events in London and were very interested in the events surrounding the one year anniversary of the attack. "As you know, Huw, we understand how hard that first year is for everyone and especially since the there were so few survivors at Canary Wharf."

Huw announced that they had a survivor from Canary Wharf visiting with them today and explained that they would be taking breaks to accommodate US commercial broadcasting requirements, but also if their guest felt he needed one.

Huw introduced Ianto to their audience talking about where he grew up, attended college, and when joined Torchwood, which he identified as a government intelligence organization. They showed a few adorable pictures of Ianto as a child (one complete with sailor suit) and one of him in high school with very long hair.

Huw told Matt that since he and Ianto were both from Wales that they had one very important matter they had to talk about first…rugby. "So I hear you support the Cardiff Blues. So what do you think about their chances this year?"

Ianto began to type on his Blackberry. "I should mention," Huw continued, "that Ianto suffered a speech loss due to the attack and now communicates via voice synthesizing software."

Ianto smiled and hit the send key on his Blackberry_. 'Well, I think the Cardiff Blues chances are a whole lot better than your Llanelli Scarlets__. __But I'm predicting that the Ospreys are going to be the league champions.' _

"And for the American audience, that translates to my team's better than your team, but neither is as good as the team from Swansea," Huw explained.

"So Ianto, do you watch any American sports like baseball or basketball," Matt asked.

'_I like baseball and I must confess that my favorite team is the New York Yankees.'_

Matt laughed. "Well I know that your choice is going to raise a lot of controversy in the States." Ianto shrugged. "Our audience doesn't know that you were invited to New York for an interview but you turned us down, is that right?"

'_Yeah, I'm a little embarrassed but I've never been on an airplane before and the US seemed awfully far for a first trip.' _When asked where he would like to fly to visit, he stumbled just a bit. _'It would have to be somewhere fairly close, probably Paris. I like museums a lot.' _

They cut for a commercial break in the US and both anchors commented on how well he was doing. "That was brilliant, you're doing great. Just stayed relaxed and focused, I think you're going to enjoy some of this a lot."

Ianto scoffed, '_I sounded like the village idiot on that last question, duh I don't know where I want to go, just as long as it only takes an hour._' Everyone reassured Ianto that he was doing fine.

Back from commercial break they spoke about the destruction at Canary Wharf. Ianto was shocked when they said they had some tape of his rescue and asked if they could show it. He gave his OK; now he understood why Owen insisted on giving him that anti-anxiety pill early that morning. The footage was grainy CCTV tape but it showed Owen squeezing into the opening in the rubble, and a fairly distant shot of Ianto being lifted out and put on a backboard. They related how Ianto had been discovered tapping out an S.O.S message.

Huw looked at Owen. "We heard that your actions created quite a big fuss." Owen shrugged, "yeah, I guess they did. The Brigadier was a bit upset with me as I recall."

The Brigadier jumped in. "He refused to come out even when ordered to do so. You sir," he said turning to Owen, are one of the most stubborn people I've ever met."

"I had to do it. The taps were fading, we were past the 24 hour mark and I couldn't leave him down there alone."

"Frankly I was torn between shooting him or having him knighted, so we compromised on awarding him a medal for his courage," The Brigadier huffed.

The anchors murmured their approval. Of course this whole exchange had been practiced in advance with the BBC's knowledge. The Queen's representatives had made their expectations for the interview quite clear and the BBC wasn't going to refuse on such a solemn occasion. As for the Today Show producers, they were looking for a good human interest story, so they were happy as well.

After another short break Huw told Ianto that they had some guests they wanted him to meet. They spoke about the bravery of the rescuers and said that they had asked a few that had helped with his rescue to appear on the show.

First out were the structural engineers who described the state of the buildings and the dangers involved with extracting Ianto from the archives. It was all a bit technical and the anchors moved on to the next guest as quickly as they could politely do so.

Next came the firefighter who had crawled into archives once Owen had been lifted out. He was very emotional as he described the condition he found Ianto in and by the end of his description almost everyone was in tears. A close up of Ianto caught a single tear rolling down his cheek, which the BBC1 and Today Show producers knew would be a much talked about shot.

Finally, Matt told Ianto that they had two very special visitors for him to meet. Even Owen was surprised when Sam Shuster and Molly came onto the set. Sam came over and hugged Ianto and went to sit behind him. Molly, however, whined and put her head on Ianto's lap. Something came a little unglued for Ianto at that moment, and he couldn't stop a few more tears from escaping. Molly put her paws on his lap and began to lick away the tears. They cut for a commercial break a little early to give Ianto a chance to compose himself.

"_I'm sorry, really I am,' _Ianto apologized to everyone, '_I don't know why that happened._'

Huw laughed_. _"I probably shouldn't say this," he said carefully checking that his mike was turned off, "but our producers are probably orgasmic over that last bit. It's what we call a beauty shot – the close up that has the most emotional impact in an interview. So don't worry about it."

Ianto rolled his eyes. _'Well at least I've maintained my reputation as an emo stud muffin.' _Matt Lauer came close to choking on the water he was drinking.

"Ten seconds," the camera man warned. Everyone put their game faces back on as they went live once again.

Martha was interviewed next, and she gushed about what a great patient he had been and how his sense of humor got him through a lot of painful moments. Dr. Mason and his two main physical therapists also made an appearance. By the end of the hour, there were almost a dozen people on the set who had played an essential role in Ianto's recue and recovery.

They ended the hour by briefly talking about Ianto's return to Cardiff and his working for Torchwood Three. They mentioned that there would be live coverage of the memorial activities the following day live on BBC1 and on the NBC Evening news. Matt asked Ianto if he had any qualms about continuing to work for Torchwood. This was an unapproved question but they were moments from the end and nobody wanted to make a fuss when everything had gone so well. The Brigadier silently prayed that Ianto wouldn't falter in his final moments on camera.

'_I don't have any reservations about working for Torchwood. It's an honor and a privilege to play even a small role in protecting Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.' _He had reckoned that he might be asked a question like this somewhere in one of the interviews and planned carefully what he was going to say.

The final shot was a prerecorded bit showing Ianto looking out from Canary Wharf which morphed into a shot of him in the same pose at Mermaid Quay. And yes there was a British flag fluttering in the wind in the background along with "God Save the Queen" playing. Ianto wanted to gag, and he was pretty sure that Owen felt the same way, but no one commented. BBC1 felt that a patriotic ending was perfect for the piece and certainly wouldn't hurt the ratings.

Once the interview was over, Ianto couldn't wait to get out of the studio, but had already been coached on proper etiquette. He shook hands with both anchors and the crew and mingled a bit with everyone who had participated in his rescue and recovery. The Brigadier invited Sam to join Owen, Ianto, Martha and him for lunch. He politely declined citing his need to catch the 4 PM train back to Yorkshire. Dr. Mason declined as well, citing rounds at the hospital that afternoon. Ianto was pleasantly surprised that Jonathan, Saundra, Stephen and Aaron were waiting just outside the studio to join them for lunch.

The Brigadier had arranged a private room at his club for lunch so that everyone could unwind without having to worry about the press. Jonathan teased Ianto unmercifully about his interaction with Molly. "Oh that was so sweet, I kept waiting to hear the Lassie Come Home music start playing."

Aaron jumped in with, "It's a good thing they didn't ask you if you had a girlfriend. I can just see you answering 'yes, but she's a real bitch.'" He suddenly realized that Saundra and Martha were not amused. "Sorry, sorry, I'm an idiot."

"Yes you are," Saundra replied. "but we still love you."

"I don't know what it is about Ianto, but I always seem to be putting my foot in my mouth when he's around."

'Good thing I don't have a foot fetish,' Ianto pushed out to Aaron. Aaron blushed and shook his head at Ianto.

"Oi, no secret conversations," Owen admonished. "We mere mortals get our feelings hurt when the demi-gods talk behind our backs."

By the time lunch was over, it after 4 PM. Aaron and Jonathon were going to have a few drinks at a nearby pub and invited Owen and Ianto to join them. They decided to take a rain check as they both knew that the next day was going to be very stressful. To their surprise, Stephen volunteered to drop Ianto and Owen back at the Hilton. In the car he remarked, "I've actually been sober for almost four months. But there is no way I can go anywhere near a pub. Don't know if I'll ever be able to again."

Owen complimented Stephen on his accomplishment. "Not easy, what you've done. I had a bit of a problem myself after my fiancée died."

When they arrived at the hotel, Stephen wished them luck with the next day's activities. Ianto gave him a big hug. _'I'm really proud of you Stephen; you've been such a good friend to me.' _

Stephen nodded. "I just hope I don't fuck this up. I'd hate to disappoint everyone."

'_I've got faith in you, have some faith in yourself,' Ianto advised._

"Yeah, I try. One day at a time, right?"

Ianto nodded. As he dropped them off at the hotel, Stephen told Ianto and Owen that he hoped tomorrow wouldn't be too difficult a day. They thanked him and entered the hotel lobby. Ianto was quite aware of people looking and whispering as they headed to the elevator to go to their rooms.

"I'd suggest you use room service if you want something to eat later," Owen commented. Ianto nodded in agreement. '_I think I'm going to be glad to get back to Cardiff after tomorrow.' _

Owen gave Ianto something to help him sleep and reminded him that they had to be up early. Even though the memorial service didn't start until 10 AM, they needed to be at St. Paul's by 8 to get through security checks.

Ianto had a message from Jack on his cell phone. Jack (along with the rest of the team) had watched the interview on BBC1 and called to say how well he had done. "You did fantastic Ianto, we're all so proud of you. I'm proud of you too; and I miss you and wish I was there with you. If you need to talk, well you know I don't sleep much, so call me. Hang in there and I'll see you soon."

Ianto called Jack and they talked (texted in Ianto's case) for a while. He told Jack how nervous he was about the formality of the Memorial Service and even more nervous about laying the wreath at Canary Wharf. Jack did his best to bolster Ianto's confidence; and Ianto did feel a bit better at the end of the call.

It was only 8 PM, but Ianto felt completely drained. As he changed out of his clothes into a T-shirt and pajama bottoms, he decided to take the sleeping pills. He wasn't really hungry and a good night's sleep was probably more important anyway. He didn't need any nightmares tonight, especially since Jack wasn't there to help him through them.

He was sound asleep within five minutes of his head hitting the pillow.


	47. Sorrow

******SUMMARY: **Memorial Services are held at St. Paul's Cathedral and Canary Wharf to commemorate the 1st Anniversary of the Battle at Canary Wharf. The Queen has a private message for Ianto. This Chapter is rated PG for language and a few sexual references

_T__itle comes from the following quote: When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. ~Kahlil Gibran_

* * *

**_So what do you think the Queen said to Ianto: _**

**_1. Love the Suit _**

**_2. Tell Jack to call me sometime_**

**_3. Such a nice young man, you could teach my grandsons a thing or two, or_**

**_4. Just say the word, and I'll have RTD beheaded_**

**_Vote for your favorite choice in comments. And as we say in Chicago, vote early and often._**

* * *

The next day Ianto was up at 5 AM. Despite the sleeping pill, he had been restless all night. When light began to come through his windows he decided he might as well get up and start getting ready for the day.

He ordered up breakfast from room service and made some coffee with the coffee maker in the room. He switched on the television to see that the news broadcasts were already discussing the memorial events for the anniversary of the terrorist attack at Canary Wharf.

Ianto sighed and switched the TV off. He was nervous enough about today, he didn't need to be reminded of how difficult the next few hours were going to be.

He went to the windows of his hotel room and looked out at the view of London spreading out below him in all directions. He found it hard to believe that a whole year had gone by since that terrible day of destruction. So many friends gone, so many changes, he could hardly recall what his life had been like prior to the attack. He felt tears welling up as he remembered Charlie and his co-workers and even his relationship with Lisa. He also thought about all the new friends he had made, about Owen, and Gwen and Tosh as well as his relationship with Jack. He smiled when he remembered how nervous he had been going to visit Rhiannon and her family and his Mum and how natural it felt now to drop in at their house when he had a few free hours.

Sighing he moved away from the window and went to answer a knock on the door. He signed for his breakfast ate some of it and drank a couple of cups of coffee.

He showered and shaved and dressed in his black suit and dark plum shirt and tie. UNIT had originally wanted him to wear a white shirt, but agreed that the dark purple was appropriately somber for the occasion. He was just finishing the last of the coffee when Owen rang from his room to make sure Ianto was awake.

'_Yeah, I was up pretty early,'_ Ianto told him. '_I didn't sleep all that well, I'm afraid. Still, I went to bed so early I must have gotten five or six hours.'_

Owen was ready as well and it was just a little past 6:30 AM. "A car from UNIT will be picking us up around 7:30 AM. They just called and asked us to stay in our rooms until they come to get us. I guess the press has already staked out the hotel."

'Lovely, and I left my weevil spray at home.'

Owen reminded Ianto that he had left a dose of anti-anxiety medicine for him and that he should probably take it just before 7:30. "It takes a bit to kick in, but it's not all that long-lasting, so I'll have some more with me if you should need some."

By 7:15, Ianto was pacing his room as his anxiety increased. 'Wish they would just come already, I just want to get through this day without having a breakdown or something terrible happening.' He took his medication and continued walking back and forth across the room.

At almost exactly 7:30 there was a knock on his door. "Mr. Jones? UNIT security detail." Ianto's hands were shaking so hard he could hardly open the door. Much to his relief Owen was with them as was The Brigadier.

"Thought you might need a little moral support this morning," The Brigadier explained as he hugged Ianto. Ianto realized that there were six security officers to escort them to their car. One of the officers saw Ianto's eyes widen as he inspected the escort. "The press is a little frisky this morning and we don't anyone to get pushed around. We're going to go down a secure elevator to a car we have waiting. There will undoubtedly be some photographs taken but please don't stop to pose or speak to anyone from the press." Ianto and Owen nodded their understanding.

There was no one on the floor or in the elevator as UNIT had secured the space earlier. But when they got to the lobby, there were people everywhere, shouting questions, snapping photos, and in a few cases trying to push through the security cordon that the escorts had created. They moved quickly through the lobby to the waiting black town car. Ianto, Owen and The Brigadier were ushered into the car with amazing speed and it pulled away just as the last door was being closed. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The driver spoke, never taking his eyes off the traffic. "Same drill at the other end, gentlemen." Just follow the security detail and keep moving."

Ianto shook his head in disbelief. '_Why would anyone want to be famous? Can you imagine having to live this way every day of your life_?'

The driver chuckled. "Don't mean to intrude but I started out with a private security firm in my younger days and you can't imagine what people are willing to put up with to gain recognition."

'_Well, they can have my 15 minutes of fame; I can't wait to go back to being a nobody.'_ The Brigadier smiled at him thinking, 'Things will calm down for sure, but I don't know if you'll ever be able to live in complete obscurity, not after your face has been seen around the world.'

The security was even tighter at St. Paul's. Rows of uniformed London police lined the steps to the Cathedral effectively keeping anyone who didn't have clearance away from the front of the Cathedral. Ianto noticed that the streets at either end of the block were blocked to regular traffic. Obviously the security guarding the block had known their car and let them pass without stopping. Another UNIT security detachment met their car as it pulled up in front of the St. Paul's.

Ianto, Owen and The Brigadier were hustled up the steps at almost a running pace. Ianto was actually a little breathless when they stopped just inside the Cathedral's main doors. "You OK?" Owen asked as he looked at Ianto with concern.

'_Yeah, just need to catch my breath for a moment._' They were led to the side of the church where a metal detector was located. Ianto hadn't been through a metal detector since being injured and was startled when he set off the alarm. Owen deftly pulled a piece of paper out of his suit coat and handed it to the security attendants.

"You've got enough metal pins in your hand, not to mention a few in your leg to set off just about any detector." One of the security personnel handed the papers back to Owen and waved Ianto through. "You are going to need to carry this medical document with you whenever you go somewhere where there are detectors." The security personnel had wanted to confiscate Ianto's cell phone, but The Brigadier was able to convince them that he needed it since it functioned as a 'medical device.' This was, of course, supported by Owen.

_'Wonderful. I'm now the bionic man on top of everything else,' _Ianto snarked_. _Owen smiled at the remark. He was glad to see that Ianto was staying relaxed, at least for the moment. To Owen and Ianto's surprise, they were seated in the second row directly behind where The Queen and The Prime Minister would be seated. The Brigadier was seated in the first row but on the opposite side of the church.

Martha arrived and was seated next to Ianto. It looked liked everyone seated near them were government officials or UNIT personnel. Unfortunately, this meant that the other survivors, their families and families of the casualties were seated further back. Owen and Ianto rolled their eyes at each other as they realized that the politicians had gotten preferential seating as compared to the actual victims of the attack.

Even Martha was in uniform, she was a Captain which amused both Owen and Ianto. She overheard Owen whispering about the seating and held up a finger to her lips and signaled for them to be quiet. She also whispered to Ianto to turn his cell phone off. She knew he hated doing this, since it left him without a way to communicate, but she was terrified that it might go off during the service.

There a stir in the crowd and they turned to see the Prime Minister walk down the main aisle. He stopped and chatted with some members of Parliament, and then sat down in front of Owen. He never acknowledged the presence of a single survivor or the families, let alone Ianto. Another stir and they saw it was The Queen and Prince Phillip being escorted to their seats. They did stop to talk to a few people, including some of the family members. They didn't great anyone around them as they were seated directly in front of Ianto and Martha.

Apparently their arrival was the signal for the service to begin. St. Paul's was packed and it was very warm and uncomfortable. Martha whispered to Ianto, "The cameras are right on us." Ianto made sure he sat up and moved as little as possible during the service. The whole service was a bit of a blur for Ianto. Hymns were sung, some appropriate words were said by the Archbishop of Canterbury as well as the Dean of St. Paul's and a few comments were made by Prime Minister. He focused on shutting out as much as he could, and keeping his expression neutral.

As the service ended, Ianto breathed a sigh of relief. At that very moment The Queen stood up, turned around and looked straight at him. Ianto practically jumped out his seat and made the appropriate bow to her. She smiled a little, leaned over and whispered something to him. He smiled and nodded never looking up. She nodded satisfied and began to exit the Cathedral. The Prime Minister turned to stare at Ianto as he stood to exit but showed no recognition of who Ianto was. Ianto stared back, until the PM broke eye contact with him.

Owen began to smirk but caught himself. Martha leaned over and whispered to Ianto and Owen, "That'll teach him to mess with The Bionic Man." "What a git," Owen whispered. Ianto kept his expression neutral but the amusement in his eyes was apparent.

They were hustled out not long after and began the drive to Canary Wharf. Ianto's heart started to race a bit, and he took a deep breath. "Are you OK," Owen and Martha asked simultaneously.

'_I'm nervous all of a sudden,'_ Ianto replied a little bit alarmed. Owen did some quick mental calculations and realized that Ianto could probably use another dose of the anti-anxiety medication. Martha agreed but felt he should have something to eat first. They took a little detour and found themselves stopping at a Wimpy's of all places. They went through the drive through, ordered some food and quickly ate it in the car. They even managed to persuade the driver to have some lunch.

'_I ate so fast, I think I'm getting heartburn,' _Ianto said laughing as he burped. Owen reached in his pocket and threw Ianto a roll of antacids.

"That's all we need, you burping and farting as you lay the wreath at Canary Wharf." Ianto and Martha started to laugh.

_'Do you think the Prime Minister would take it personally?'_

"There's something very wrong about this conversation," Martha said giggling. "There is to be no burping or farting on such a solemn occasion." They laughed some more, a little inappropriate perhaps, but everyone understood that it was just a way to release some tension. Ianto took his second dose of medication along with a couple more antacids.

They arrived at Canary Wharf at 1:30 PM. They had to park away from the memorial site as the clean up was still ongoing. Ianto hesitated as he approached the area where the gleaming Torchwood One headquarters had stood. It was just an empty expanse of dirt, stone and small pieces of concrete. He tried to picture where he the archives would have been, but even with his nearly photographic memory, he couldn't get a fix on it. Images of that day began to flicker through his brain and he could feel himself breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Are you OK, mate," Owen asked, watching Ianto with concern.

'_Is there time to call Jack?' _Ianto asked. Owen nodded. Ianto quickly turned on his phone and sent a text message to Jack.

His phone rang almost immediately, as Jack called the moment he received the text message. "Ianto are you OK? I saw you on TV this morning. I can't wait to hear what The Queen said to you." Ianto smiled at that.

'_I'm really nervous Jack, I don't know if I can do this,' _Ianto texted.

"Listen try to let everything just wash over you like a harmless wave. Nothing can hurt you, you're with friends, and you're coming home to Cardiff tomorrow. Hey, and if that doesn't work, just think about the welcome home I have planned for you tomorrow evening."

Ianto snorted, causing Owen and Martha to glance over. '_Great Idea Jack, I'll be a real hit if I walk up to lay the wreath sporting a hard-on.'_

Jack laughed. "Ok, then think about the paperwork we have to catch up on as well as the fact that Myfanwy's nest is overdue for a cleaning."

'_Thanks, that didn't decrease my anxiety level but certainly dampened the libido.' _Ianto followed the text with some smiley faces.

Jack really wanted to reassure Ianto that everything would be fine. "Ianto, I" Jack started, but felt himself falter. "…I miss you. Hurry home."

Ianto smiled a little sadly, he knew what Jack was going to say and knew why he couldn't.

'_Miss you too. See you tomorrow."_

The ceremony at Canary Wharf started promptly at 2. It was as large as the service at St. Paul's, but this time the survivors and the victims' families were the priority. The only officials present were the Prime Minister and some UNIT top brass including The Brigadier.

A bell was tolled as each of the 2254 casualties' (including those who died after the attack from their injuries or suicide) names were read aloud. Families openly wept for their lost loved ones and Ianto struggled to maintain control, especially when, to his surprise, the name Charles Mackenzie was read. After the names were read a UNIT honor guard brought the wreath forward. Ianto was shaking as he took the wreath and laid it at the base of a small stone memorial. He stood staring at the plaque lost in thought for a few moments. Fortunately, The Brigadier was near enough to him to walk over, touch him on the shoulder and guide him back to his seat. Finally, the UNIT honor guard commenced a 21 gun salute. It only took a minute or so (three rifles firing 7 shots each), but Ianto jumped a bit with every shot.

Finally, it was over. Ianto sighed. Martha leaned over whispering, "stay on guard, cameras everywhere." Ianto nodded his understanding.

Some of the families lingered a bit at the site. For many of them, this was the first time since a few weeks after attack that they were gathered in one place. Ianto had not been to that meeting (being hospitalized) which was just as well, since the families of the victims were outraged by the lack of information made available to them about the attackers and the numerous 'missing' bodies. Looking at the hundreds of family members, many holding pictures of their loved ones, he felt guilty for having survived. Owen silently prayed that no one, in their grief, would say anything unkind to Ianto.

Martha saw that an older couple was making their way over to Ianto. She held her breath as they approached.

The woman spoke. "Ianto? Ianto Jones?" Ianto turned and nodded. "We've never met, but you did write to us. We're Charlie's parents.'

Ianto looked completed stunned. Owen and Martha made eye contact but said nothing. Ianto didn't know what to say. _'I'm so sorry; I know it's my fault…'_

"Now we've told you before, that's a lot of nonsense, young man," Mr. Mackenzie said, interrupting. "You were his best friend, and we would never think badly of you. We treasure the photos you sent us of him, and your kind words when you wrote to us. We saw your interview with ITV on YouTube and we could tell how much you miss him."

Mrs. Mackenzie added, "We hope you'll keep in touch with us, you remind us so much of Charlie." Ianto promised he would. He thought he might have a few more photos of Charlie that he found when he unpacked in Cardiff that he could send them. The Mackenzie's hugged Ianto. As they turned to leave, Mr. Mackenzie hesitated and then remarked, "It's probably not fair, but we kind of live Charlie's life through you now. Make us proud, Ianto."

The crowd was beginning to thin out a bit and Martha, Owen and Ianto began to make their way back to the town car. Except for a pool reporter, all other press had been kept away from the ceremony. But as they approached the car they saw that a group had gathered nearby. As they got into the car, one shouted, "What did The Queen say to you?" Another yelled, "Come one Ianto, tell us what she said."

Ianto turned to look at the reporters. He gave them a small smile as he raised one eyebrow and got into the car. The press was not pleased.


	48. Runner

******SUMMARY: **Will Ianto reveal what The Queen said? Why are Jack and Ianto fightiing? This chapter is rated PG-13 for language and a few sexual references.  
__

_**Title is from: The man who runs away may fight again. Demosthenes **_

**_Thanks to those who let me know what they thought the Queen said to Ianto - I'd love to get some more votes on the last chapter._**

* * *

Following the memorial service, there was a small dust-up over what The Queen said to Ianto. Ianto wouldn't tell anyone, not Jack, not Owen, not even his sister.

"Oh come on, Ianto," Rhiannon pouted, "it's not like I'm going to tell anyone else."

Jack was almost as bad. "I share a bed with you and you won't tell me. I think I should be insulted," he teased. Ianto just smiled and refused to be goaded by Jack.

Owen couldn't resist trying to make Ianto feel guilty. "I risk my life to save you and you can't even tell me what The Queen said to you. If I didn't know better, I'd think she propositioned you."

The tabloid press also speculated on what had been said to Ianto. The Sun was the most outrageous speculating that The Queen was asking Ianto if Torchwood would send her some aliens for a private petting zoo. The Daily Mail thought that she was probably praising him for his loyalty to the crown. 'We need more stand up real men like Mr. Jones,' they noted. Wales on Sunday was certain that she had offered Ianto a job at Buckingham Palace.

"Oi," Owen laughed as he read this aloud to the Team at lunchtime. "She's probably heard about your coffee brewing skills. What a scandal it would be if she turned out to be a closet coffee drinker."

'_Very funny. No actually, she wanted to me stop by and help her grandsons smarten up their wardrobes a bit.' _

Gwen snorted in frustration. "I can't believe you won't share this with us, your wonderful co-workers. Look at all the secrets we share here without telling anyone else. You'd almost think he didn't trust us."

'_So not working Gwen.' _Ianto couldn't resist jerking their chains one more time. _'I'm pretty sure she told me what she did because she knew I wouldn't share it with anyone, especially with Torchwood.'_

Tosh sighed. "He's not going to tell us. No more chess hints for you this month."

'_No more lattes for you this month,' _Ianto teased back.

"Children, children, enough already," Jack snarked. "Let's not bicker on a beautiful Monday morning. The rift is quiet, the sun is shining, let's take the afternoon off. Well, Tosh, Gwen and Owen, why don't you take the afternoon off anyway. Ianto and I need to finish some paperwork."

Everyone, including Ianto rolled their eyes. "What? What? With Ianto gone, the reports have stacked up. But no reason for the rest of you to sit around and pretend to be busy."

Owen was the first to accept the offer. "Well I don't know about you ladies, but I can certainly use the few extra hours for something exciting. Like laundry or maybe I'll be really avant garde and go grocery shopping."

'_Don't work yourself into a frenzy,' _Ianto teased.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Owen retorted. "I certainly won't work myself into as big a frenzy as I suspect you two will be doing shortly…over the paperwork of course."

At that comment, Gwen and Tosh got up to leave as well.

After the rest of the team had left, Ianto went up to Jack's office. He was surprised that Jack was actually working on some reports. "I know, not what you had in mind, but I just can't seem to get through these when you are not here to help."

Ianto looked down at his crotch. _'You know, its time like these that I wish I that anti-boner module that John had.'_

Jack stood, reached out to Ianto and took him into a delicious kiss. "The faster we get through these reports, the faster we can enjoy at least part of the afternoon off."

They completed eight reports in under an hour. '_I think we just broke the speed record for report completion.'_

Jack laughed as he stood up. "Well, let's not try to break any speed records during our next activity."

Ianto came around to Jack's side of the desk and began snogging him. Jack leaned against Ianto pushing him back against the desk. Ianto sat on the desk and wrapped his legs around Jack's waist. Jack groaned. "Wanna go downstairs and have your wicked way with me," he teased. "I'll let you if you tell me what The Queen said."

Ianto snorted and pushed Jack away. '_Not telling.'_

"Ok, don't tell me and I'll let you have your way with me."

'_You drive a hard bargain, Captain Harkness, but I guess I'll just have to accept the terms of your surrender.'_

"Oh yeah," Jack replied.

It occurred to Ianto one evening when Jack was staying over at the Hub to keep an eye on the rift that he would be having his 25th Birthday in a few weeks. He wasn't expecting anyone to make a big deal about it; in fact he couldn't remember Jack ever mentioning his birthday. 'Maybe he doesn't know his, or maybe they didn't celebrate birthdays on Boeshane,' Ianto speculated.

But considering everything he had been through over the last year and not getting to celebrate his last birthday at all, Ianto decided he wanted to have a party. Nothing big, nothing fancy, but he thought it would be a nice way to celebrate and say thank you to all his friends and family both in Cardiff and London. He did a quick count (Martha & Tom, Jonathan and Kelly, Stephen, Aaron, Bryan (though he probably wouldn't come), The Brigadier, Saundra, Rhiannon and Johnny and David and Mica of course, plus the Team and Rhys and maybe P. C. Andy). So no more than twenty people but probably more like fifteen.

He'd never made a party before, but he figured that Gwen would probably be willing to help him. He began to make a list of everything he would need for the party, and to think about where he should have it. At his apartment? Or maybe they could have a picnic if the weather was nice. He couldn't wait to tell Jack about his ideas.

The next day was very busy. Four weevils had to be rounded up from a grocery store, numerous witnesses had to be retconned, and to top things off some poor fellow from 1865 came back through the rift. Jack and Ianto worked well into the night getting him settled at Flat Holm. Ianto was a bit surprised when Jack declined for a second night in a row to go home with Ianto, especially since he wasn't picking up any signals from Jack that he was going to be visiting one of his rougher friends.

Something didn't seem right_. 'Jack are you ok? _Ianto asked gently.

"Ianto, its been a long day, I'm tired, and irritable, and really you're not my keeper are you. Go home already."

Ianto didn't know what to say. Jack had never spoken to him in such a dismissive manner. 'Well he's obviously off kilter; its probably that guy who came through the rift.' Out loud, he quietly said goodnight to Jack and left the Hub for his flat.

The minute Ianto left, Jack felt terrible. He knew he shouldn't have snapped at Ianto. He was just so tired of waiting for The Doctor to show up. And since the hand suspended in the jar had seemed to glow the other day, Jack had been sure The Doctor was nearby. But since then, there hadn't been any indication of his presence. Maybe it was just a trick of the light, Jack thought.

"_Shit, what am I going to tell Ianto? Maybe I should just distance myself from him. No, that's stupid; The Doctor may not show up for months or years yet." _Jack wiped a hand down his face and sighed. He knew this could happen at any time, but he didn't want to worry Ianto unnecessarily. He vowed he would just go on with his life and not think about The Doctor.

Of course that wasn't as easy as it sounded. Over the next week, Jack found himself glancing at the hand repeatedly to see if it was moving or looked any different. He was distracted and grouchy, yelling twice at Owen and once at Gwen. But when he started in on Tosh at lunch one day Ianto got angry.

'_Jack, stop it!' _Jack glared at Ianto. '_I don't know what's gotten into you, but don't you dare take it out on Tosh.'_

Something snapped in Jack. "Who the hell are you to be telling me what to do? I'm in charge here, so why don't you just do your filing and make the coffee and shut the fuck up!"

There was a collective gasp around the conference table. Ianto got up and walked out of the conference room. Before anyone could say anything, Jack had left the room as well and returned to his office slamming the door shut loudly.

Owen, Gwen and Tosh stared at each other. "What the hell was that?" Gwen asked angrily.

"Maybe I should apologize to Jack," Tosh suggested.

Owen snorted. "For what, you didn't do anything. Something's not right with Jack. Has anyone else noticed how distracted he's been the last week or so?"

"Maybe its something to do with UNIT, maybe they're pressuring him again," Gwen suggested.

"Yeah, but Ianto would know about it then. He's their primary contact," Tosh said chewing on her nails.

"Shit, what are we going to do about Ianto?" Owen was really worried. "Did you see the look on his face, he was completely stunned." Speaking of which, I'm calling him in a bit to see if he's OK."

When Owen rang Ianto's cell a half hour later he was relieved when Ianto answered. "Hey Ianto, can I stop by and see you later? What do you mean you're not at home? Where are you? Ianto, I think that's a very bad idea. Why don't you come back home and I'll be over in a bit and we'll order in some dinner. Yes, my treat. See you at six, OK?"

"What was he doing?" Gwen asked anxiously.

"You're not going to believe this but he's riding buses around Cardiff. He wasn't sure where he was when I spoke to him, but I'm sure he'll find his way home OK."

He saw the worry on both Gwen and Tosh's faces. "And if he isn't at home when I get there, there's a tracker in his cell phone.

"Make sure you call us when you get to his house and let us know if everything is OK."

"Yeah, I will."

They cleaned up lunch and left the conference room, Jack was standing outside his office glaring at them. "Where's Ianto?"

Owen spoke up. "He wasn't feeling well, so I sent him home. And yes Jack, I have complete authority to do that, based on my judgment and my judgment alone." Owen stood with his arms crossed just daring Jack to challenge him.

Jack stared at Owen for a minute and then said "Fine," and returned to his office.

The rest of the afternoon seemed to last forever. Tosh immersed herself in her computer programs, Gwen studied the week's police reports for anything unusual and Owen took inventory of his supplies. Jack stayed in his office the entire time. When 5 PM came, Tosh and Gwen did some whispering and then went to see Owen.

"We're leaving, and you should too," Tosh informed him. "And no, we're not saying goodnight to Jack."

Owen agreed that it was probably the best way to handle the situation. "Give me a couple of minutes and I'll leave with you. That way if he starts up we have a united front."

Gwen glanced back at Jack's office as the cog door rolled open to see Jack staring down at them.

Once they were outside, Gwen told them what she had seen.

Owen flipped open his phone and dialed Ianto. Much to everyone's relief, Ianto was home safely. "I'll only call you if there's a problem. But I'll tell you this, I'm picking Ianto up tomorrow and we're going in together. Do you want me to pick up either of you two?" Gwen declined but Tosh said she wouldn't mind a lift.

"Ok, then tomorrow we beard the lion."

Owen was surprised at how calm Ianto was that evening. They spoke a little about Jack, what everyone had observed of his behavior and their plan for the next day. Ianto agreed that going in together was a good idea.

As they sat quietly, Owen realized something. "This is probably not the best time to bring this up, but you have a birthday coming up in what, a little more than two weeks. Shit, it's your twenty-fifth birthday isn't it?" Ianto nodded.

"Have you thought about what you want to do for your birthday? Hey I'll even treat the team to pizza."

'_I was thinking about having a party and inviting everyone from London, but now, I don't know. I'm not much in the mood for it. I don't want to have to explain why Jack isn't there or if he is why he's being a prick.'_

"You've got a point, Ianto. Let's give it a few days to settle down before you decide."

They chatted a little more, and then Owen got up to leave. "I'll pick you up at 7:30 sharp. Yes, I know you are usually in by then, but it will be good for Jack to not take you for granted." Ianto wasn't sure it was such a good idea, but since Owen was driving, he'd have to go along with it.

The next day, Owen, Tosh and Ianto entered the Hub a few minutes before 8 AM. Gwen hadn't arrived yet, but she didn't usually come in much before 8:30. Upon entering, Jack was standing outside his office glaring at them. "So nice of you to make it in today. I'd like some coffee Ianto, if its not too big an inconvenience." It was a perfectly reasonable request, but Jack's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Ianto went and made coffee while Owen and Tosh bickered as to whether he should take it up to Jack alone. '_Just let me take him the coffee without a lot of fuss.'_

Ianto trudged up the stairs to Jack's office dreading having to face him. He knocked on the door and waited. "Come in." Jack was working on some reports and didn't even look at Ianto. Ianto put the coffee down on the desk and turned to leave. "Ianto."

'_Yes sir,' _he replied not turning around_._

"Nothing," Jack sighed.

Ianto left Jack's office and went to do some work in the archives.

Lunchtime came and Gwen got up the nerve to ask Jack if he was joining them for lunch. Jack stared at her for a moment like he didn't quite understand what she was saying. "What? Oh. No, that's OK, thanks for asking Gwen, I'm waiting for an important phone call. I'll grab something later."

Since Jack didn't want anything, and there hadn't been any altercations with him all morning, they all decided to go out for a quick lunch. They went to their favorite pizza place and had a very enjoyable lunch. They lingered a bit as none of them really wanted to go back to the Hub. Finally Owen sighed. "Time to face the music. Or the yelling. Or whatever."

When they got back from lunch, the Hub looked in a bit of a mess. Papers were pushed off everyone's desks in a haphazard fashion. "Looks like the lion was out for a prowl," Owen remarked.

Ianto sighed and went to make fresh coffees for everyone. He rolled his eyes at the others and went to take Jack's up to him.

An IM message hit Tosh, Gwen and Owen's computers about a minute later.

**Ianto:** Get up here quick. Jack's coat is here, but he's gone.

Owen glanced around at the Hub and something caught his eye.

**Owen:** Shit, the hand is gone too.


	49. Abandoned

**SUMMARY: **Jack's gone. How will the team cope? This chapter is rated PG-13 for language and a few sexual references  
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_**Title is from: It's hard being left behind. (...) It's hard to be the one who stays. " **__**  
**__**— Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife) **_

_Author's Note: I given Ianto far more more knowledge about Jack and The Doctor than in canon._

_**Comments are love - please let me know what you think.**_

* * *

When Jack didn't appear the next day, the team began to get a bit more concerned. Tosh went to check the CCTV feeds, Gwen to check police reports and see if P. C. Andy knew anything, Owen was calling local hospitals to see if anyone fitting Jack's description had been brought in while Ianto hacked into Jack's email.

Gwen and Owen couldn't find anything related to Jack either through the police or hospitals. Ianto didn't find anything unusual in Jack's email. He phoned Archie at Torchwood Two and asked if he had heard from Jack. Archie said he hadn't and he didn't know anything about the hand.

"Did you check your archives? " Archie asked. Ianto had to admit he hadn't. After he finished speaking to Archie pulled up the Archive database from Torchwood One but could find no information about a hand. He knew he hadn't seen anything in the current archives on it, but there was so much that hadn't been cataloged yet, that it was always possible that there was some information buried down there.

As Ianto was thinking about how to search the files efficiently, he received an IM from Tosh.

**Tosh**: Everyone get over here, I've found something.

Ianto ran up from the archives and met everyone gathered around Tosh's work station. She brought up some CCTV feed and enlarged and focused on the corner of a feed from inside the Hub.

"I was looking out side the Hub initially to see if he got kidnapped or got into a car or something, but it looks like he left from inside the Hub." The feed was a little hard to see, but it looked like there was a large blue box with a flashing light in the corner. Jack was seen running toward the box and then both the box and Jack disappeared.

"Am I crazy, or was that an old police call box?" Owen pondered.

Ianto sighed. Everyone turned and looked at him. '_It's The Doctor; he's gone with The Doctor.'_

Tosh stared wide-eyed at Ianto. "Do you mean The Doctor, the enemy that Torchwood was designed to protect The Queen from?"

'_Yes, but I think everyone but Yvonne Hartmann recognized that that had been a mistake.'_

Gwen indicated that she didn't know what everyone was talking about.

Ianto patiently explained what he knew about The Doctor and the formation of Torchwood. Toward the end he told her, '_so it's true that The Doctor shows up at times of trouble, but he doesn't cause them, he tries to keep them from getting worse. As bad as the Battle of Canary Wharf was, think what would have happened if The Doctor hadn't found away to send the Daleks and the Cybermen back through the rift. We might have all been converted.'_

Owen shuddered. He had seen enough at Canary Wharf to give him nightmares for months.

"But why would Jack go with him?" Tosh wondered.

Ianto saw that everyone was looking to him for an answer.

'_I'm not sure, he never said much about The Doctor except that he had traveled with him at some point at the past. And he did tell me that his immortality started when he and The Doctor and The Doctor's companion Rose Tyler were in the future. Something about him dying and then Rose taking the force of the vortex and putting it inside Jack to revive him. But she put too much in him and then he couldn't die. He also said that The Doctor and Rose abandoned him.'_

"But I still don't understand why would he go with him then," Gwen asked. This wasn't making any sense.

'_I don't know,'_ Ianto replied, a little agitation showing on his face_. 'I remember him saying once that he was waiting for his doctor, cause he was the only one that could fix him, but I didn't make the connection at the time. And I know nothing about the hand.'_

Gwen worried her lower lip. "When will he be back?"

'_I don't know. He could be anywhere in time or space. He might never come back.'_

While he spoke these words, everyone could see Ianto's eyes fill with tears. When he was finished he quickly turned and walked away to go down to the archives.

Gwen went to say something, but Owen got her attention and signaled her to not do anything. After Ianto had disappeared from site, Owen whispered, "Let him be, for now. Tosh, I think you should find a plausible excuse to go down there in a bit, there must be something you can ask him to retrieve."

Tosh nodded. "I always need something from down there. But while we are worrying about Ianto we have something even bigger to be concerned about. How are we going to get on with Jack gone? Ianto's right, we don't know if this will be a few days, a few weeks, months or forever. At what point do we let UNIT or Archie or The Queen's representatives know?"

Gwen and Owen looked horrified. They had been so focused on Ianto, that they hadn't had a chance to consider what this could mean for them as a team.

"Well, I have the most seniority, but I'm not a tactical person," Owen offered. "It seems that Gwen should take the lead on tactics and Ianto should take charge of all communications with other organizations. Tosh and I are really support staff, but I think I'm safe in saying that we'll both do whatever needs to be done to give us time to sort this out."

Tosh nodded her agreement. Not long after, Tosh made her way to the archives. She was surprised to see Ianto busy at work, his IPod plugged in looking just fine. She signaled to him and he took the earphones out but continued his filing.

"Hey I was looking for a file…no not really; I came down to see if you are alright."

Ianto snorted_. 'Yeah I'm good. As good as one could be when their lover disappears with another man without a word of warning. Not to mention the several weeks of dismissive behavior I got from him before he did a runner.'_

"Maybe he couldn't tell you, or maybe there was an emergency and he didn't have time to tell you."

'_Maybe, but I seriously doubt it,'_ Ianto replied. '_We all saw him staring at that hand for the last few weeks…something was up but I guess I wasn't important enough to tell.'_

"Ianto…" Tosh started.

_'Please Tosh, I know you mean well, but I need time to process this.'_ He stopped filing and turned and looked at her. '_What am I supposed to do? Wait for years like a chaste maiden for my knight in shining armor to return from battle? What if he never returns? What if I move on and then he comes back? What if…'_"Ianto, you're thinking yourself into tizzy, please calm down. None of knows what to do. Who's going to run the Hub? What do we do about UNIT? Or the Prime Minister?"

Ianto went grey as he listened to Tosh_. 'I'm so sorry Tosh; here I am wallowing in my self-pity when we have bigger things to worry about.'_ He came over and hugged her.

"And what about me?" she whispered. "You know about my five year contract to Jack and Torchwood; what if I have to go back to prison?" She began to cry.

Ianto hugged her closer. '_Over my fucking dead body.'_


	50. Distraction

**SUMMARY: **Jack's gone. How will the team cope? Well at least one member isn't. This chapter is rated PG- nothing really, one swear word, but better to err on the safe side  
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_**Title is from: Never neglect details. When everyone's mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant. Colin Powell**_

**_Hello? I see lots of readers - how about a few more comments - don't be shy, I won't bite._**

* * *

They met in the conference room the next day to try to figure out what to do. Gwen and Owen did most of the talking. Ianto was noticeably distracted and disengaged from the conversation.

"Well, as I said yesterday, it seems to me that Gwen ought to take the lead on tactical issues," Owen offered. "She's got the most experience with catching criminals as well as the connections to the police force."

Gwen was a bit uncertain. "But I haven't been here as long as the rest of you. That doesn't seem fair somehow."

"But you know what you're doing," Tosh added. "Owen and I are support. We go on missions but only under someone else's command."

"How does that sound to you, Ianto?" Gwen asked. Ianto was gazing off into space. "Ianto, is that alright with you?"

Ianto suddenly realized that everyone was staring at him. '_Sorry. What was that again?'_

Owen patiently repeated the information that Ianto had missed. 'O_h fine, fine. It's all fine by me.'_

Gwen knew Ianto was still barely listening to what was being discussed. "And we want to put you in charge of laisoning with UNIT and other government officials. That means you are going to have to be able to keep them from realizing that Jack is gone. That also means you are going to have to forge his signature on reports. Are you OK with that?'

'_Sure, whatever.'_

Owen rolled his eyes. "And we'd like you to make sure you have sex with Janet twice a week, OK?"

'_Of course, whatever you….WHAT DID YOU SAY!'_

"Well that got his attention," Owen snarked.

'_Sorry, I really am. I just can't seem to focus.'_

Tosh was really concerned with Ianto's behavior. "We know you're hurting Ianto, but we have to keep it together here. We're short the one person who actually knows about the aliens coming through the rift. Without Jack, anything new coming through is going to be much riskier for us to handle."

Ianto nodded.

"And we _all _have a lot to lose if Jack's discovered missing," she added pointedly.

'_I know.' _He recognized that only he and Jack knew about Tosh's contract and he realized that she could lose everything if they weren't careful. He silently berated himself for focusing on his own worries.

He took his phone and typed, _'I think we may need some procedures for handling anything novel that comes through the rift. We'll need to get the data base uploaded to my computer on the main level. If I need to direct the rest of you to an alien and check on what it is at the same time, I can't be running down to the archives.'_

Tosh thought that it made sense to have a standalone computer that would have only the archive records on it so that anyone could access it. That way, if Ianto was unavailable, someone else could try to match information from the field to the database.

'_I think I should also run you all through the mechanics of performing searches on the database. It's pretty intuitive, but there are a few tricks that make searches faster that I can show you.' _Everyone agreed that made a lot of sense.

"I'd also like to give some more advanced first aid lessons to everyone," Owen suggested. "Most of the field triage I do isn't all that complicated and if I'm incapacitated, we should have back up. Always meant to do this, but now it seems more important. But we may have to rely more on Cardiff A & E if there are serious injuries."

"You know, Owen, I have a medical degree, so I wouldn't mind getting refreshed on some things like stitching and the like," Tosh added. I know only you and Jack did that before, but the more cross-training we all have, the better off we'll be."

No one wanted to ask the obvious questions. At what point did they decide that Jack was gone for good and what would they do then?

"Ok, let's how this goes and we can make adjustments as needed," Gwen said ending the meeting.

Fortunately, the rift cooperated for once and for the next week they had nothing more than a few weevils to round up. Ianto took advantage of the quiet and tried to get through as much of the remaining un-catalogued artifacts as he could. Everyone was so busy that the very long hours he was putting in went largely unnoticed.

Well, unnoticed until Ianto fell asleep at the next meeting. The rest of the team left Ianto snoring in the conference room and went into Jack's office to talk.

"What are we going to do about Ianto?" Tosh asked, a worried look on her face. Gwen frowned. "Is he going home at night?" No one seemed to know.

"I'll give him a look over and see if I can't sort him out," Owen offered.

They went back to the conference room to find that Ianto was still sound asleep. They all smiled at the sight of him, but decided to wake him up and continue the meeting. "Right," Owen said shaking Ianto gently, I'd like to talk about scheduling those first aid classes we spoke about."

Ianto opened his eyes and looked around sheepishly. "Glad you're back with us Mr. Jones." Owen continued to discuss the training without giving any indication that Ianto had been sleeping for a good half hour. Ianto, wiped a hand across his face and tried to focus on what Owen was saying. He was embarrassed that he was having so much trouble keeping his eyes open. 'So tired,' he thought.

The meeting ended a short time later and honestly Ianto wasn't sure he could remember what occurred even while he was awake. As they walked out of the conference room, Owen asked to see Ianto in the medical bay. Ianto sighed, but followed Owen back to his work area.

"Listen Ianto, I have to tell you that you look like crap. Are you going home at night?" Ianto just stared at Owen. "This is not acceptable, Ianto. We're down one team member, and I'm sorry about everything that's happened to you, but if you don't start paying attention and being part of the team, I'm going to send you home on a medical suspension."

Ianto glared at him. "I'm not kidding. I'd rather have you out of the way and work around the gap than risk one of our lives' on your ability to make decisions when you're clearly not capable of it. Now let's try this again. Are you going home at night?"

'_No.'_

"Very helpful. Please tell me why you aren't going home."

'_Can't sleep. Too much to do here.'_

Owen sighed. 'Great,' he thought. 'Now Ianto's acting like a sulky 5 year old. Just what we need.'

"Are you eating."

'_Yeah, some.'_

Owen snapped. "Damn it Ianto, tell me what's going on. I don't have time for this!"

Ianto looked him shocked. First Jack was yelling at him, now Owen. What next? Owen had a pretty good idea what Ianto was thinking. He walked over to Ianto and sat next to him. In a much softer voice he said, "Ianto, I'm your medic and your friend. Please tell me what's going on."

'_I've been staying overnight here. I brought some clothes and personal stuff in, so I don't need to go home. There's so much that needs to be done with the archives. And with Jack gone, we don't have the luxury of not having those records up to date. I do sleep a little, but my nightmares are back and I feel safer here even if It's just me and Myfanwy.'_

"What are you doing for food? Are you taking any down time?"

'_I just eat what's left over from lunch. And it's easier for me to keep working than to go home to the apartment. All I do there is think about Jack, why he left me, why he didn't say anything, why I'm always ending up on the shit side of the street. The work distracts me, and when I'm really tired then I can sleep.' _

Owen wasn't quite sure how to handle this. He certainly wanted Ianto to eat and sleep properly but it probably was better that he not sit at home and ruminate about Jack every evening. "OK, how about this. I'll give you some medicine to help you sleep, and you get some proper food in here for dinners and we'll take it from there. But I want you sleeping at least six hours and eating three meals a day. And if you're not, I expect you to tell me."

Ianto rolled his eyes. _'Yes Mum.'_

"Don't get smart with me, young man," Owen replied, trying his best to imitate what he thought Ianto's mum would have sounded like when he was young.

'_That's scary. She used to put her hands on her hips exactly like that.'_

"Well, you be a good boy and I won't call your sister and tattle on you."

Ianto smiled. It was the first smile that Owen had seen from Ianto since Jack and Ianto had started bickering the week before.

As Ianto left the medical bay, Owen realized that his birthday was only a week and a half away. Once he saw Ianto go down to the archives, he went to talk to Tosh and Gwen. They decided that they should have a small party on Ianto's birthday. Nothing elaborate, but just something so that he'd know they didn't forget about him.

"I'd like to call Jonathan, Stephen and Aaron and see if maybe they can invite him up the weekend after his birthday. It might do him some good to be with some non Torchwood people and away from Cardiff."

Tosh and Gwen thought that was an excellent idea. "The ghosts of Jack Harkness have to be everywhere here. In his flat, on the street, it's got to be tough for him to not think about Jack," Tosh said.

Gwen looked like she could cry. "I hope," she said, her voice almost a whisper, "that ghosts aren't all we'll have of Jack Harkness to remember."


	51. Birthday

**SUMMARY: **Ianto celebrates his 25th birthday. Jack is nowhere to be found. Martha's revelation changes everyone's future. This** c**hapter is rated PG- 13 for language, and some sexual references  
__

_**Title is from: **__**Live as long as you may. The first twenty years are the longest half of your life. Robert Southey**_

* * *

Ianto celebrated his 25th birthday quietly without a lot of fuss. Jonathan, Stephen and Aaron had invited him for the weekend, in the end Ianto decided he would rather not go through the hassle of traveling to London. He spent Saturday at his sister's along with Owen. While Rhiannon, Johnny and Mum knew a little about Jack's disappearance, but the children did not. The family thought that Jack had been called away on assignment and hadn't discussed it with Ianto beforehand. They certainly weren't told anything about The Doctor or flying police call boxes or Jack's immortality.

The day passed pleasantly for the most part. There was an awkward moment when Mica asked where Ianto's boyfriend was. Ianto told her that he had important business out of town.

"Well, he better take you out to a fancy dinner when he gets back," she insisted, "or he's not a good boyfriend." Everyone laughed, but it didn't go unnoticed that Ianto closed his eyes for a moment to keep his emotions under control after she said that.

They had ice cream and a cake that Mica and Mum had made and just enjoyed the afternoon. Ianto had been insistent that there be no presents, but Rhiannon had picked up nice bottle of wine for him and presumably Jack to share. Owen nicely covered the moment by letting everyone know that he would be helping Ianto drink the wine.

David was now twelve and had matured remarkably since the previous Christmas. He had grown several inches and seemed more thoughtful and polite, but still snarky. Just like his Uncle, Rhiannon pointed out. At one point Ianto was alone with David talking to him about school when he remarked, "Ok, spill. Did you and Captain Jack break up? What did he do?"

Ianto was a little surprised. He didn't think that David really understood the nature of his relationship with Jack and certainly hadn't anticipated David being upset about them not being together. Maybe a bad gay joke, now that he would expect, but sympathy? He really didn't know what to say.

'_David, honestly, I'm not sure. He went off in such a rush that he didn't say anything to anyone about the trip. But looking back, we can all see that this had been in the works for a while. So we're all upset about it.'_

David snorted. "Yeah, but Owen wasn't dating him, was he? So I'd think you be a lot more pissed off than him."

Ianto had to smile. '_Are you the same kid I met last Christmas? What happened to that little brat who was picking on his sister and smart mouthing everyone?'_

"Dunno, guess he grew up some. But I swear Uncle Ianto, if he hurt you, he better not show his face around here."

Ianto shushed him. '_Yeah, I'm hurt, but I don't honestly know how this is going to all work out.'_

Sunday was his actual birthday and Gwen and Rhys hosted a little party for him with just the Torchwood Team and P.C. Andy. Jack's absence hung like a veil of sadness over the whole day; it was obvious that Ianto was pushing himself to be cheerful and lighthearted but was actually very depressed. Still, no one mentioned Jack, and everyone got pretty drunk.

Gwen, in particular was very funny when she had too much too drink. "Yeah, that bitchy boss will probably suspend us all if we come in hung over."

"Uh Gwen," Owen pointed out, "that would be you."

Gwen looked puzzled for a minute and everyone started laughing again. "Oi, don't laugh, I'll suspend me as well if I have to. And I don't care what she says; you can come in anytime you want tomorrow."

In reality, they knew they would all be in early. They had been working flat out and were exhausted and Jack had been gone less than three weeks. No one said anything, but they knew something was going to have to give.

Several weeks later the team decided that they had to let UNIT know what was going on. Not that Jack was with the Doctor, but that he had left on a temporary mission for an indefinite period of time and they needed some backup. Owen spoke to the Brigadier while Ianto spoke to Martha.

The Brigadier promised to get them a couple of temporary staff members without raising a lot of fuss or making anyone else realize that Jack might be gone for a while.

Ianto wanted to find out if Martha had any thoughts from her travels with The Doctor that might help the team to determine how long Jack might be gone. She wasn't able to provide much insight however one thing she said in her phone call with Ianto changed all of their lives forever.

"So have you heard from Jack?" she asked Ianto. Ianto didn't know what to say.

"Yeah I got a call from The Doctor," Martha continued, "about a week after he and Jack took off. Sounded like they were having a grand time."

'_Martha, you heard from The Doctor? From the Tardis?' _Martha confirmed that she had. '_Martha, I'll have to call you back in a minute, my phone's going dead_.' He hung up and signaled to Owen to come over to his work area.

'_Call Martha. Apparently The Doctor found time to call her, but Jack couldn't be arsed to call us. I'll be in the archives if anyone needs me.'_ Ianto turned and walked away and headed down to the lower levels.

Owen quickly gathered Tosh and Gwen and they called Martha back from the conference room. She was puzzled why Ianto had been so brusque with her. Once they explained she felt terrible. "Oh no, I had no idea he didn't tell you all beforehand." Then it hit her. "Shite, he didn't say anything to Ianto ahead of time, did he…I don't know what to say."

Owen thought, 'Really, Martha, you've said more than enough already,' and then chided himself for blaming her. They told Martha not to worry and that they were sure everything would be fine.

Owen rolled his eyes as they ended the call with Martha. Gwen suggested that they have a conference call with The Brigadier and one was set for the next morning. They'd have to find an excuse to get Ianto out of the Hub, and Gwen asked that everyone make a list of supplies they needed so that she could send Ianto to pick stuff up during the conference call.

"I could kill that son of a bitch," Owen said angrily. "Bad enough he leaves us in a fix, but he doesn't tell Ianto, that's unforgivable."

Gwen worried her bottom lip. "I don't know what to think. Everything that's happened over the last few weeks seems so wrong. Was I just imagining it or did they seem to have a real romance going?"

"Looked like they were pretty well smitten with each other," Tosh offered. "Jack was over at Ianto's practically every night, and I know we all saw them gazing at each other across the Hub."

"Yeah, something was going on, but on a practical note, you do realize that if Ianto quits right now, we're in big trouble," Owen pointed out. "What a fuckin' mess."

The next morning Ianto was in first, made coffee, and went down to the archives. He put his usual note on the coffeemaker letting everyone know where he was.

Gwen was in next, she had hardly slept trying to figure out how to keep the team going without putting Ianto in the field. 'And what about Ianto's emotional well-being? Is he going to be able to keep working here knowing that Jack chose not to contact him?'

Once the rest of the team was in, Gwen called Ianto up from the archives. She had combined everyone's needs into one gigantic list. Ianto was glad to be asked to go and get supplies for the Hub. Even when hiding himself down in the archives, he was finding the lingering aura of Jack oppressive.

'_You know, this will probably take me the better part of the morning to make all these stops.' _

"I'm not surprised," Gwen answered truthfully. "I figured it would be more efficient to have you take one morning every few weeks to get stuff then to be constantly chasing around for single items. I'm going to start keeping a list in the kitchen that everyone can add to as needed." Ianto nodded in agreement. She handed him the keys to the SUV and he got ready to leave. He could sense that something else was going on, but Gwen was better at shielding her thoughts than he would have given her credit for.

Once he was gone, they gathered in the conference room and called The Brigadier.

"Martha told me what happened. Bit of a cock-up really," The Brigadier offered. "How's he doing, Owen? Is he OK, or are we looking at him having real difficulties coping?"

"He actually doing OK for now," Owen told him. "I think he knows the team is depending on him so he's just pushing through what needs to be done. But it can't be good for him to have to work and live everyday with Jack's absence front and center."

"I have been giving this considerable thought. It seems to me that the first issue concerns being able to man a field team," the Brigadier surmised. "Since Ianto can't be in the field, his presence or absence doesn't affect this problem. So first we need to get you an additional field agent. You may have heard Martha mention him, but Mickey Smith would fit in quite well with your group. He's very tough and smart and has been of great assistance to us at UNIT for the last year or so."

"But wasn't he a companion of The Doctor's?" Gwen asked. "That would really be rubbing Ianto's face in it, don't you think?"

The Brigadier sighed. "Yes, of course. So here's the second part of my proposal. You probably haven't heard but there is discussion of rebuilding Torchwood One." Everyone gasped. "Not like the old One, but not a field operation like Torchwood Three. Something in-between really. A taskforce is being formed and Jack was going to be asked to be on it. But it seems logical that given Jack's absence, that Ianto take his place. After all, who knows better than Ianto not only the vital role that One played, but the terrible mistakes that could have been avoided."

Tosh interrupted. "So assuming that he agrees, how does that help Ianto?"

The Brigadier explained that this taskforce was a full time commitment. "He'd have to relocate to London for 3 to 6 months. That gets him away from the flat and the Hub and all the reminders of Jack and gives him something challenging to focus his energies on. I'll be honest with you, if he does well on the taskforce there's a good chance that he'll be offered a high level position at a new Torchwood One or even UNIT. And really, that might just be the best thing for everyone's sake."

The team members looked at each other not wanting to acknowledge the truth of what The Brigadier was saying. They might be saying goodbye to Ianto permanently.

"Additionally, UNIT can supply you with a fully trained archivist from our own staff. We've been using the Torchwood software since it was recovered from backups and this archivist is very competent."

"It's a great idea Brigadier, but what if Ianto refuses," queried Owen.

"You leave that to me." With your approval, I'd like to talk to him directly about this later today. I think it will go down much better if I'm seen as stealing him away from you rather than you pushing him off to UNIT."

The Team agreed that this made sense. "And do me a favor, all of you, do not say one word to him until he or I say something to you. He may want some time to think about it, and I don't want him to feel like he's being manipulated.


	52. Passages

**COMMENTS - I SEE YOU READING THIS STORY - YES YOU! - DON'T BE SHY - LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK**

**SUMMARY: **Ianto moves to London. Mickey Smith joins Torchwood 3 , Ianto has a revelation about Jack. This** c**hapter is rated PG for language, and some sexual references.

A/N: Tiime is moving quickly here, from September 07 to October 08.

_**Title is from: **__**Time is not measured by the passing of years but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves. Jawaharlal Nehru**_

* * *

The Brigadier's conversation with Ianto went much better than expected. Ianto was actually enthusiastic about sitting on the Torchwood One Taskforce. He wanted an excuse to get away from Cardiff for a bit, and here was the perfect solution. The team would surely let him know if Jack reappeared, but he wouldn't have to deal with Jack's absence on a daily basis.

There was one hang-up. Ianto would not agree to work with UNIT on the taskforce unless they voided Tosh's contract to Jack and freed her from any further obligations either to Torchwood or UNIT. The Brigadier wasn't sure he could do much about this, but in the end, the need for Ianto's knowledge proved great enough to get the deal done. Tosh was understandably thrilled when Ianto told her, and surprised when Ianto told her he had insisted on one more thing in regards to her time with UNIT.

"What did you do?"

'_Well, now that you're no longer beholden to UNIT, and have served bravely protecting Queen and Country, I arranged for The Queen to petition UNIT to destroy all records of you past relationship with them."_

"Do you actually think they'll comply?" Tosh asked.

'_I'm sure obvious copies of all documents will be destroyed though they'll hide copies away. But if they want to keep their headquarters in the UK, they'll never be able to use the records against you. That's really what I was trying to secure. I've already taken the liberty of destroyed all records that we have. And I'll be checking UNIT's computer files in a month or so to make sure they've expunged the record as well._

Tosh grabbed Ianto into a hug. "You are a wonder Ianto; I've never had a friend like you. Will you hate me if I say I don't want you to leave?"

'_I'm going to miss you too, but I never would have been able to do this for you if I wasn't moving to London. So if nothing else good comes of it, at least you have your freedom. And hey, I'm only a few hours a way. There's no reason we can't get together on a regular basis.'_

Tosh sighed. She hoped they would still see each other, but when she thought about how busy the team was and Ianto's new responsibilities she felt that Ianto's statement was probably wishful thinking more than anything else.

Rhiannon and Mum were understandably upset when Ianto told them about his transfer back to London, but understood his need for a break from Torchwood Three.

As an early Christmas present, Ianto bought Mica and David cell phones with a family calling package so that they could call or text him at no charge.

'_I'll be picking up the cost of the phones and the monthly service, but in exchange you have to promise to return my texts and not use the phones where they are not allowed. If your Mum or Tad tells me you're not behaving or your grades have slipped, then I'll have the service turned off. Understood?'_

They tried out the phones and even Mica easily got the hang of sending a message, though voice was a lot easier for her than trying to spell words out on the phone. Rhiannon watched Ianto and her children laugh as they played with the phones and felt her heart ache a little. Ianto and her children were just really bonding and now he was leaving again. She sighed. When was her family ever going to catch a break? She blinked back some tears; she wanted this day together to be happy, so if the kids didn't see him for a while they would have good memories of their time with Uncle Ianto. When they said their goodbyes, Ianto held her tightly and told her not to worry, that he would be back before she knew it.

The transition of duties to new staff proceeded quickly. Within a couple of weeks, two new employees were assigned to Torchwood Three from UNIT. As suggested by The Brigadier, Mickey Smith came down to work as a field agent and a woman named Penny Blair came to take over the archives. Both were quick learners and hard workers and Ianto could tell they were going to work out just fine. He was particularly impressed that Penny had mastered the Torchwood One archiving software in a matter of months at UNIT and seemed to intuitively understand the elaborate architecture that Ianto was building linking reports, objects and other information into one large data base.

The only drawback was that neither could make a decent cup of coffee. '_Well, I suspect that Starbucks will be doing a bit more business after I go.'_

"I'm determined to figure out your coffee secrets before you take off," Mickey told him. "I'm watching every pot you make, and I think I may be close to a breakthrough," he announced.

"If that breakthrough was demonstrated by the pot you made this morning, Mickey, I don't think Ianto's in danger of being bested in the coffee arena," Owen snarked.

Ianto found that Mickey was a very likeable fellow and it was hard for him to reconcile his very negative feelings toward The Doctor with his regard for Mickey. So when Mickey asked him to join him for dinner one night, Ianto was curious what Mickey wanted to talk to him about.

Afterwards, he was glad that he had done so. The information that Mickey shared with him was hard to take, but he was glad he had a better idea about The Doctor and his companions. Jack had told him a little about Rose, but Ianto had no idea that there was a relationship between Rose and Mickey.

"I can't say I'm surprised," Mickey said, looking a little upset. "She was my girlfriend. Well that is until she met The Doctor. Took off with him without a second thought, later asked me to travel with them, and then constantly mooned after him while I stood around and watched. He just has that affect on people. And he's so busy saving the universe that he forgets that there are real people involved whose lives are thrown into chaos by his behavior."

'_I almost hate to ask, but what do you know about Jack and the Doctor.'_

"That's a curious relationship. The Doctor didn't like Jack when he first met him. Seems that Jack was a bit of a rogue; a conman to be precise. Then there was that whole thing with Rose and Jack and the vortex but then it seemed like The Doctor was afraid of Jack, called him something 'Wrong.' So I have no idea why Jack would go running off with him, but from the CCTV feed Gwen showed me, I think The Doctor was trying to leave without him once again."

Ianto sighed. "Yeah," Mickey continued, "The Doctor may save the earth time after time, but he sure has a way of mucking up his companions' personal lives. But I'll tell you one thing, I'm actually happier than I was when I was with Rose. I adored her, but that was the problem really. She had total control of the relationship; my fault as much as hers really, but I was always in the one down position with her. My new girlfriend and I have a much more balanced relationship and I'm better off for it. Really."

"_I think you're telling me not to take it personally."_

"More than that, I'm telling you that at least in my experience, once someone's been a companion to the Doctor, they tend to make poor companions for mere mortals. You will always want Jack but he will never be able to be what you need."

'_Gee, Mickey, could you be a little more straightforward?' _Ianto snarked_. 'For a minute there you almost forgot to swing the sledgehammer down on me one last time.'_

Mickey really did feel terrible about being so direct with Ianto, but he recognized that Ianto was suffering the same way he did when Rose went off with The Doctor. It had taken him several years to get over it, not to mention a considerable time in a parallel universe to finally develop his confidence again. And Ianto seemed to be a truly nice guy who'd been kicked about enough for one lifetime; Mickey didn't want him to waste his time mooning over Captain Jack.

"And I promise you that if he shows his face around here, I'll call you first thing, right after I give him what for."

Ianto smiled. In less than two weeks, Mickey and Ianto had bonded over their mutual dislike of a certain Time Lord.

Ianto lived in an apartment rented by UNIT for his first few months in London. And while he didn't bring anything with him except his clothes and some personal items, he really hated the temporary nature of the flat. It was drab and impersonal, not to mention small and cramped. When he wasn't meeting with the taskforce he was working on putting together notes, agendas, and research items for their meetings the following day. There was barely enough room in the flat to set up his computer and printer with all the special security equipment necessary to keep his email and IMs secure.

He started looking for a place to lease monthly, and asked Jonathan, Stephen and Aaron for advice when they met for dinner one evening. Jonathan thought he ought to stay put until he knew whether he would be staying in London long-term. Stephen thought there might be some openings in his building but wasn't sure if they would be available on a month-to-month basis. Aaron hadn't said much the entire time.

'_What do you think Aaron?'_

"What would you think about bunking at my place until you sort things out?" I have a whole house, two bedrooms are totally unused, it seems a shame to have you live someplace you don't like when I'd be happy for the company. The price is right, but you will have to put up with my slightly anal retentive housekeeping style."

Ianto glanced at Jonathan and Stephen to gage their reactions. Jonathan laughed. "Aaron that has to be the worst attempt at a seduction I've heard in a long time." Stephen piled on with "yeah, if you want him to move in with you, you should probably take him to a movie and buy him a pizza first."

Aaron shrugged and just stared at his glass. Ianto felt uncomfortable with their remarks. They were always giving Aaron such a hard time, and he was just trying to be nice. They probably didn't realize how much the teasing bothered Aaron, but Ianto could feel Aaron's embarrassment.

'_All right you two, that's enough. I think it's a great idea and if Aaron can cope with my OCD when it comes to housekeeping, I think we'll get along fine.' _Aaron looked up from his glass, smiling a little, and Ianto couldn't resist adding, '_And if he wants to seduce me, something tells me he'll do it without telling you both first." _Both Stephen and Jonathan pretended to be shocked.

"I think Ianto's coming on to you Aaron, better watch out, he's had training from Heartbreaker Harkness…" Jonathan started but stopped when he saw the hurt on Ianto's face.

_'Ok, party's over, why don't you two run along and let Aaron and me make some plans here….I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to us decide how we're going to split household expenses and the like_.'

Stephen rolled his eyes. "We know when we're not wanted," he laughed.

"Good, then haul your arses out of here before I hand them to both of you," Aaron growled.

'_Hey you OK?' _Ianto asked once the others had left.

"Yeah, I just hate always being the butt of their jokes. I know they're just kidding around but sometimes I just want to smack the crap out of them."

Ianto was totally astonished by Aaron's confession. "I know, I'm the 'nice' son, the well-behaved one. I think they forget that I didn't get to be a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines by being anybody's pushover. But I hate being reminded that when it comes to personal stuff, I'm not exactly the smoothest guy around.

Ianto laughed. _'Don't worry about it…but I do want to be clear that my moving in is strictly on the terms of friendship. I don't want there to be any romantic expectations, and I certainly don't want to hurt your feelings.'_

"Understood. But honestly, if you ever want to change those parameters, just tell me that its time to ask you out for a movie and pizza," Aaron said laughing.

So Ianto moved into Aaron's house using one spare bedroom for sleeping and the second spare bedroom as a study. They both worked long hours and strange schedules so they didn't really spend much time together. Once every week or so, Ianto would make dinner for the two of them; Aaron wouldn't let Ianto pay for anything but his own groceries, so it was the only way he had to say thank you. Occasionally they'd watch a DVD together – Aaron had a large collection of German silent films that Ianto had never seen and found fascinating. As for their housekeeping styles, they themselves couldn't decide who was more fastidious (ok anal retentive) about things.

Another Christmas came. Ianto went home for a week to spend time with his family and his Torchwood Three friends. No one had heard anything from Jack. Ianto spent New Years once again at The Brigadier's house. He almost lost it when he went to put on the black suit that Jack had bought him. He felt so lonely and alone without Jack. Aaron was a great friend, the best of friends even, but he missed the intimacy of a relationship. Not just the sex, though he missed that as well, but the feeling of being a priority in someone's life. He wondered if Jack had ever really felt that way about him, or whether he had projected his own feelings onto Jack.

Ianto drank a little too much that New Years and Aaron ended up having to practically drag him up the steps to his house. Once inside, he made a clumsy drunken pass at Aaron that had them both laughing and crying.

"Ianto, you know I would like nothing better than to have you as my lover, but not like this. You'll end up hating me and yourself if we go anywhere with this tonight."

'_How long do I wait, Aaron? How long would you wait? I feel like a little piece of me dies every day I wait for him. And yet, I feel like being with someone else would be a betrayal. Tell me what to do.'_

"I wish I could Ianto, but I can't. I'm not a disinterested observer and anything I say will be tainted by my own desires. All I can tell you is to do what feels right in your heart."

The next day, Ianto nursed a terrific hangover, and things were a little awkward, but Ianto and Aaron avoided discussing the events of that evening. Within a week it was as if it never happened.

In February Jonathon and Kelly got married. Ianto and Aaron both attended but joy eluded them as they each silently reminisced about their absent lovers.

Spring came and Ianto went alone to Rhys and Gwen's wedding. He watched them dance together and thought about how Jack should have been there to celebrate such a grand day for Gwen. Owen and Tosh were obviously a couple now; he teased them about when he might be attending their wedding.

"We're getting engaged in a few weeks," Tosh whispered to him. "We decided to wait until after Gwen's wedding so we wouldn't steal any of the limelight from her and Rhys." "We'll be married around Christmas, and we want you to be our best man. Would that be OK?" Ianto let her know that he would be delighted.

The taskforce was finishing up its work and Ianto was offered the position of Director of Research Analytics at the soon to be re-launched Torchwood One. The position was perfect for his skills and he accepted. He turned the lease of his apartment in Cardiff back to UNIT who wanted to keep it as a guest apartment. The furniture stayed, and Ianto had the rest of his personal items shipped to Aaron's.

The second anniversary of The Battle at Canary Wharf consisted of just a small ceremony at the Wharf including the dedication of a large stone monument with the names of all the casualties engraved on it. It felt like everyone but the survivors and the families of the victims had forgotten about the tragedy. There was no TV coverage, no press at the dedication ceremony, no write ups in the newspapers. And no Jack Harkness to be found anywhere.

Ianto's 26th birthday passed without any celebration. He was too engrossed in the plans for the re-launch of Torchwood One. He was sitting on multiple committees, including archive construction, mission definition and ethics oversight. He already knew that he would head the Ethics Committee at the new Torchwood One. No experiment or activity other than data gathering and analysis would be permitted without the consent of this new committee. The Committee would report directly to a representative of the Queen so no one sitting on it had to be afraid to vote their conscience.

Meanwhile, Aaron was away much of the late summer and fall coordinating training exercises for new recruits. Ianto received occasional emails from him describing the failings of his latest batch of would-be marines. And while a lot of the stories were funny, some of his critiques made Ianto glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton's wrath.

In October, Ianto received the invitation for Owen and Tosh's wedding. He stared at it dreading the idea of having to go to another wedding alone. He had waited over a year for Jack to return and had heard nothing from him. He felt an unexpected bitterness about waiting for a year. He wasn't sure what he had expected to happen, but he thought he would have received some indication by now of whether Jack was coming back. Then it struck him. Maybe this was the indication; Jack wasn't coming back and even if he did at some later point, it was time to move on. If Jack came back they would sort it out then.

At the end of October, Aaron returned from his training exercises in the mid-Atlantic. Ianto planned a dinner for the two of them a week after his return. Aaron had spent that Saturday running errands and trying to catch up on several months' worth of mail. He knew Ianto was making dinner for him and sighed as he thought how he wished his relationship with him was something more than best friends.

When he came down for dinner he was surprised to find that Ianto was dressed up a bit. Ianto acted like it was just a regular dinner but Aaron wasn't fooled for a minute. He could feel the waves of nervous excitement radiating from Ianto, not to mention the sexual tension. Aaron had a feeling that this was going to be a very interesting evening.


	53. Timing

******SUMMARY: **Ianto and Aaron become lovers. This chapter rated PG-13 for language, and some sexual references  
__

_**Title is from: **__**"Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing." Stacey Charter**___

A/N: Just back from vacation - will be posting regualarly

**How about some comments?**

* * *

Aaron managed to keep a straight face through most of dinner. Ianto was trying to keep a calm exterior but not only could Aaron sense his anxiety he could see it in a slight shake of Ianto's hand as he poured him some wine. Most telling was that Ianto had brewed a spectacularly bad pot of coffee.

_'How did that happen? I never make bad coffee,' _Ianto groused.

"I sense you are very nervous tonight Ianto. Do you want to talk about it?"

Ianto was already turning a little red. _'Would you be my 'date' for Owen and Tosh's wedding? I hate going alone to these things.' _Aaron smiled and said he'd be glad to go with him.

'_And one other thing, could we go out for pizza and a movie sometime?'_

Aaron burst out laughing. Ianto blushed more profusely, and stared at his plate in embarrassment. Aaron stared at Ianto trying to get him to look up. "I thought you'd never ask," his voice darkening as Ianto glanced up surprised. "How would you feel if we just skipped the pizza and movie and call this our first date?" Ianto smiled. "And I have to ask, do I at least get a kiss at the end of the date?" Aaron hadn't spoken the last question, but pushed the thought over to Ianto.

Ianto startled as he heard Aaron's thoughts. They'd been housemates for over a year and hadn't communicated empathically in all that time. He'd almost forgotten about Aaron's abilities. The rest of that evening was a bit of a blur to Ianto. He and Aaron were snogging in the hallway and next thing he knew they were in Aaron's bedroom. They were lying fully clothed side by side as Aaron kissed and stroked Ianto's face.

"I think we should take this slow Ianto. Get to know each other better. Empathically, I mean. It will make for a stronger relationship and frankly, intensify sexual pleasure.

Ianto snorted. "I'm not making this up." Aaron smiled and kissed Ianto. "I can show you why much better than I can tell you. Would you be willing to join in an empathic loop with me so I can demonstrate?"

'_What do I have to do?' _Ianto felt the same hesitation that he had felt when John Hart had wanted to look at his memories.

"You know I've never looked at your feelings without your knowledge, but I can tell you're worried. Don't be. Close your eyes and take my hands, Ianto," Aaron whispered as he held out his own. Ianto nervously touched Aaron's hands and felt a shock run through him as Aaron kissed him again. It was strange and wonderful; he could feel…he wasn't quite sure what he could feel. He focused on his emotions and kissed Aaron back. Aaron groaned and Ianto shivered. He actually could feel Aaron's physical reaction to the kiss. Not the kiss itself, but the pleasure and desire that Aaron felt. That in turn was looping back to him intensifying his own feelings.

He heard Aaron push out with "I wanted to be with you the day we met at the New Years Party when you and I spoke on the terrace. But I couldn't tell you when you were so obviously involved with someone. And it was too close to losing Geoffrey for me to trust my feelings. Now I'm afraid that if we take this too far too fast before you're certain you want to be with me, that I'll get my heart broken if Harkenss returns."

Ianto opened his eyes and looked into Aaron's. He could feel exactly how Aaron felt about him. He smiled when he realized that Aaron not only desired him but was in awe (of all things) of him. '_You're amazed at me? Come on.'_

"You've been through so much, and it hasn't made you bitter or hard or withdrawn. I don't know how you do it. But I think it's remarkable. And I'm so ordinary; I feel unworthy of you."

Ianto thought Aaron was being daft, but it struck him that having someone feel that way about you was very flattering. He had loved the way Jack had made him feel physically and initially all the care Jack gave him was nice, but after a while he felt like Jack was in total control of the relationship. And if he was honest with himself it always hurt when he knew Jack was off visiting one of his other friends. He understood that Jack didn't need or want total monogamy, but Ianto knew it was what he needed.

They didn't do much more than some more kissing and touching that night, but Ianto was completely secure and at ease. Ianto could feel Aaron's care for him, and how focused he was on Ianto's well-being. And he could also sense Aaron's happiness; that he felt lucky Ianto wanted to be with him. This time he was going to trust his instincts and at that moment he knew that he and Aaron were right for each other.

Upon later reflection, Ianto realized that somewhere inside he always believed that he didn't deserve commitment and loyalty. It wasn't just Jack, it was Lisa as well. Both of them had liked Ianto but neither one really loved him. Lisa had liked his popularity, and Jack enjoyed a physical relationship with him, but neither one really cared a great deal about what Ianto wanted. This time was going to be different.

It didn't take long before Ianto and Aaron were lovers. And Aaron wasn't kidding when he said the sex would be intense. Admittedly, Aaron was not as sexually creative as Jack, but it didn't seem to be necessary with the bond they developed. The lightest lick of Aaron's tongue on his neck, or the feel of him blowing breath across Ianto's nipple, or feeling Aaron's erection against his would loop back and forth until it was unbearably wonderful for Ianto. Aaron would continue to worship Ianto's body, gently preparing him and pleasuring him before finally entering him.

Aaron delighted in bringing Ianto right up to the edge and then holding him there as long as possible. Ianto would find himself begging Aaron to finish while Aaron would just smile and continue to prolong the exquisite pleasure/pain that Ianto was experiencing with gentle thrusts or strokes. And when Ianto finally came it felt like an out of body experience. With practice (and they practiced a lot), Ianto was able to do the same for Aaron. There was no competition between them for dominance, they moved fluidly between topping and bottoming each sensing what was right for the moment.

Most surprisingly to Ianto was that they talked. Really talked, or in their case, exchanged information without speech most of the time. He learned more about Aaron's life in a few conversations than he had ever learned about Jack.

Ianto was shocked by the difficulty Aaron had experienced trying to navigate two very different cultures.

"When I first went to Israel when I was six, I was already trained in that British reserved emotional state. After all, I am the Brigadier's son. He taught me well that men keep a stiff upper-lip, don't cry, and don't show emotions when they deal with pain or disappointment Israeli's do a lot of yelling at each other, that's our culture. If anything we err on the side of holding nothing back emotionally. I got so much grief for not saying what I meant in Israel, that I became extremely outspoken and direct. Then, when I came back to England to go to college, I couldn't fit in because I was unacceptably loud and blunt. I ate a lot of shite my first year in college; so I learned to tone things down. I'm still very open emotionally, but now having developed my empathic ability, I can make sure it doesn't overwhelm people."

Ianto was moved to tell Aaron about his first year of college when everyone made fun of him because of his shyness and his accent. "I don't know what's worse, being made fun of because how you speak or being teased because of the way your dick looks," Aaron said laughing.

Ianto rolled his eyes. '_You're kidding?' _Aaron shook his head 'no.'_ 'Well, I like your dick.'_

"Good thing, because it's the only one I've got."

By the time they went to Tosh and Owen's wedding the week before Christmas they were a couple in every sense of the word.

Ianto had been surprised that Tosh had wanted a traditional wedding with the white dress and tiered cake and tuxes for the groom and best man. "I was surprised too," Owen laughed. Who would have thought that Tosh was a huge Barbie fan as a kid, including the full wedding ensemble?"

'_So you'd be Ken, then,' Ianto teased. _

"Oi, I'm much better looking than Ken," Owen snarked. "At least I have real hair, not to mention being anatomically correct!"

Ianto hadn't shared much about him and Aaron with his friends at Torchwood, so they were a bit shocked when they walked in to the prenuptial dinner holding hands. Aaron knew Mickey from London and when they got engrossed in a discussion about mutual friends at UNIT, the rest of the team and Rhys bombarded Ianto with questions.

"So when did you start dating?" Gwen asked in confusion. "More importantly, when did you two start shagging?" Owen teased. "Yeah and how come you didn't tell us?" "Does your family know?"

Ianto held up a hand to silence the group. 'We've been together only a_ few months.' _Owen rolled his eyes in disbelief_. 'Honestly, just after I got the invitation to the wedding.' _

"Oh duw," sighed Rhys, "does this mean we're going to have another wedding to go to soon?" Everyone laughed.

'_And if you did, would that be a problem?' _He and Aaron had never discussed any such thing, but he figured it was best to see who was going to stick by him or not.

"Sweetheart, it's not a problem for any of us," Gwen explained, "we're just surprised because you never said anything to us."

"We just want you to be happy, and frankly, I hope you do make it official," Owen remarked. "I second the motion," Gwen added. "Here's to Ianto and Aaron," Rhys toasted just as Mickey and Aaron rejoined them.

"Did I hear my name?" Aaron asked a little shyly.

Rhys smiled at him. "We were just toasting you and Ianto, and we expect to be invited to the wedding."

Ianto turned red. "I'll take that under advisement," Aaron laughed as he kissed Ianto on the cheek and winked at Rhys.

The next day the wedding went off without a hitch. Tosh was lovely in an ivory tea length dress, Owen looked handsome (if uncomfortable) in his tux and no aliens interrupted the nuptials. Owen didn't have any family and Tosh only had her mother, so the wedding was mostly Torchwood employees, along with a few of Tosh's neighbors and friends.

Ianto hesitated to dance with Aaron in front of his friends, but after Rhys threatened to dance with Aaron if he didn't, Ianto decided to go for it. Neither was great on the dance floor but they picked a slow song and swayed to the music in a close embrace. Ianto was astonished at how relaxed he was with Aaron, and how he had grown so comfortable with him over the last year. "I love you," Aaron whispered. Ianto smiled and closed his eyes allowing Aaron to more access to his emotions. _'Love you too,' _he projected. Tosh and Owen had taken a break from dancing and watched them on the dance floor. "If they are not in love, then I'm crazy," Owen smirked.

"I feel a little conflicted," Tosh confessed. "I'm happy for him, of course, but sad that…Jack couldn't be here today. But I have a feeling if Jack was here, Ianto wouldn't have come."

"I know this is selfish, but I sometimes hope he'll never come back," Owen admitted. "We're all happy and settled into our new roles at Torchwood now and I have a feeling that Jack's return would do nothing but upset the balance we've achieved. Gwen and Mickey are organized and competent in their senior roles, Penny is a damn good archivist and we can actually take a honeymoon without any drama.

Tosh looked at Owen shocked. She had to admit that everything Owen said made a lot of sense. But secretly she still hoped that Jack would return. They'd work it out at the Hub if he came back, she was confident that some accommodation could be made between Gwen, Mickey and Jack if necessary.

"Most importantly, Ianto's has a great job, a partner that adores him, and he looks happier than I've ever seen him. I really can't see any good coming from Jack's return at least as far as Ianto's concerned."

On that point, Tosh was in total agreement with Owen.


	54. Commitment

******SUMMARY: **Ianto and Aaron grow closer. Life is good until they get some shocking news. This chapter is rated PG-13 for language, and some sexual references

**_Title is from: _****_When you realize you want to spend the rest of you life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally)_**__Authors note: The views expressed about modern art by the characters do not reflect the views of the author (OK, except for Jeff Koons).

Artwork can be found at my website (see author page).

* * *

Aaron worked with Ianto over the next months to refine their empathic bond. They reached a point where they could instantaneously share emotions without physical contact and over some distance as well. "As our bond gets stronger, we'll be able to communicate feelings when we aren't in each other's presence. Not words, mind you, we have to be in each other's presence for that, but enough to know what's going on with each other."

But their most important communications occurred in their everyday interactions. The first time Ianto woke up and heard "Morning my love," from Aaron he was shocked. But as Aaron was completely unshielded emotionally Ianto knew that 'my love' wasn't just an expression. 'Morning Cariad,' he pushed back knowing that Aaron would accept his greeting and all that was implied. It became a ritual for them. When they woke up Aaron would initiate the exchange and when they went to sleep Ianto would say good night to his lover first. Even when they were apart, the ritual continued via cell or internet. Even when they were angry or at odds the exchange continued reaffirming that throughout it all their love for each other was paramount.

As they continued to learn about each other, they inevitably talked about prior relationships. Aaron was surprised that Ianto wanted to know more about Geoffrey.

'_He was part of your life for more than half the time I've been alive. He's a big part of what makes you who you are. And you loved him, that's obvious. If don't want to talk about him, I'll understand but…'_

Aaron interrupted him. "No, no, I don't mind telling you about him, I just didn't think you'd be comfortable hearing about my life with him."

Aaron told him how they met; Aaron was already out, but Geoffrey was ten years older and while his close friends and family knew he was gay, the world at large did not. They were together almost four years before Geoffrey was comfortable enough to hold Aaron's hand in public or introduce him to his work colleagues as his partner.

The hardest moments for Aaron to share were the three years before Geoffrey died. Geoffrey had discovered a swelling in his armpit that turned out to be cancer. The tumor and lymph nodes were removed followed by radiation and several rounds of chemotherapy. They had had two more good years, and then the cancer aggressively returned.

Despite careful follow ups, by the time it was found, the cancer had spread throughout Geoffrey's body. Multiple organs were involved and experts were equally split as to whether to do everything possible or to do nothing. In the end Geoffrey had decided that given the high probability that the cancer was going to kill him sooner (3-6 months without aggressive treatment or a little later (6-9 months) with treatment that he would rather have fewer months to spend with Aaron in reasonable comfort than more months with him spent in misery. Geoffrey died peacefully in hospice five months later with Aaron by is side.

Aaron was very careful not to compare Ianto to Geoffrey, but sometimes Ianto would ask (much to Aaron's surprise), 'what would Geoffrey have thought about this?' Of course Ianto would only ask this when he was pretty sure that Geoffrey would have agreed with his thoughts on a matter.

Several months after they had begun their relationship, Ianto came home to find Aaron carefully taking down pictures and wrapping them for storage. Aaron was totally unprepared for Ianto's insistence that the pictures that Aaron had of him and Geoffrey around the house not be packed away.

'_What are you doing?'_

"What does it look like? We're together now and you shouldn't have to feel the memory of Geoffrey's presence everywhere you look."

'_I do feel Geoffrey's presence here and I'm actually comforted by it. Didn't you say that he wanted you to love again? That he was insistent that you not grieve forever?'_

Aaron nodded_._

'_I like to think that he is watching over us and that he knows I'm going to love and care for you as he would have wanted.'_

In the end, Ianto convinced Aaron to let him take charge of the pictures. Ianto created a collage of the nicest ones and hung it on a wall in Aaron's study easily visible from Aaron's desk. Aaron almost cried when he saw it.

"It's amazing," he whispered. "It's all my time together with Geoffrey captured in one place. Your generosity in preserving his memory is the most beautiful gift you could have given me."

'_That's because I love you, you daft fool.'_

About six months after becoming lovers, Aaron raised the idea of him and Ianto having a civil union. Initially Ianto scoffed at the idea. '_Oh come on Aaron, you don't really want a party and a cake and all that shite. And if you think I'm registering for stuff at Harrods, you're crazy.'_

"No, that's not what I'm talking about. I want to do this as my commitment to you and also to make sure you are legally protected if anything happens to me." Ianto didn't understand what Aaron was talking about.

"My pension for one thing," Aaron explained. If die 'single' no gets a dime of the money. If we are legally partners, then you are entitled to a benefit same as a spouse. I want to have your name on the house as well so there are no disputes who will own it if I die."

'_I have to tell you Aaron that I'm very uncomfortable talking about this. It's like you're planning to die.'_

"Well not quite yet, but everyone dies eventually, Ianto. At least everyone but Captain Harkness does. And ignoring it doesn't make it less likely to happen. I'm what, 42 years old and you're 26. That's 16 years difference in age. Realistically, you will outlive me. And I don't want to have to worry that you'll be thrown out of the house. I inherited it from my father's grandfather and I don't want you and Stephen and Bryan to fight over it. If we have a civil union, you have first standing to all my property without any interference."

This actually made a lot of sense to Ianto. He told Aaron that he wanted to do the same with his settlement money. This made Aaron very uncomfortable. "I don't need the money, Ianto; let's arrange a trust for your niece and nephew."

'_That doesn't seem equitable,' _Ianto protested. '_I get your house and pension but you get nothing if something happens to me?'_

"Trust me; my pension along with the house isn't worth anything close to your settlement."

Ianto decided that his settlement money would be placed in three trusts that would activate upon his death – half for Aaron and the other half divided between Mica and David. Ianto also convinced Aaron that once he died that Stephen or next living heir from Aaron's family should get the house. '_That way I have a place to live, but it will eventually revert to your family.'_

In the end Ianto agreed to the civil union as long as they had no party or fuss or anything resembling a wedding celebration. He did relent on his opposition to them each wearing a narrow plain gold band.

It took several months to get everything in place and Ianto and Aaron had their civil ceremony in private in April of 2009. Shortly thereafter they let their friends and family know. Rhiannon and their Torchwood friends were a bit upset that they didn't have 'a proper wedding.'

'_You know how private we both are,' _Ianto reminded Rhiannon_. 'We really didn't want a party. We're just not like that.'_

Mum was just happy that Ianto had found someone to be with. "Is he good to you?" is all she asked. When Ianto told her that Aaron was the best thing that ever happened to him she let him know that to her, that was what was important.

When he told Owen, he could tell that Owen's feelings were hurt. Ianto apologized but reiterated that he and Aaron didn't want to make a big fuss about what they considered a private matter.

"I'm just warning you that the next time you come to Cardiff you know that Tosh and Gwen will cook up something." In fact Gwen and Tosh called him shortly thereafter and invited him and Aaron up for the last weekend in May. They both teased him about eloping and he could tell they were genuinely happy for him.

Aaron's family was a lot easier going about not having a wedding. In fact The Brigadier just laughed when they asked if he was mad that they didn't do the whole wedding routine. "Let's see, I had two of those, and neither of them lasted, so no, I don't place a lot of stock on the trappings of a wedding. But I do hope you both will have a lot more success with your partnership than I had with either of mine."

Aaron's mom and step-sisters thought the whole concept of a civil union was silly. 'You're with who you want to be, so what's the fuss,' his younger sister Tamara remarked.

To congratulate them on their union, Jonathan, Stephen and Bryan took Ianto and Aaron out to dinner, but when they began to start teasing Aaron, Ianto had had enough.

'_I'm going to be straight with you. I don't like when you speak to Aaron that way and it stops now.' _It looked like Jonathan was going to make a smart retort, but Ianto glared at him. _'I'm not kidding, its stops right here, right now.'_

The three friends were stunned. Ianto was generally so easy going, but it was clear that he took this relationship very seriously and was fiercely protective of Aaron. Ianto allowed Jonathan some room to maneuver away from a confrontation and into a different line of conversation. Within moments they were all laughing again with no hard feelings.

"Who was that guy at dinner tonight? I thought you'd cheerfully strangle Jonathan if he kept it up," Aaron laughed as Ianto straddled him on their bed later that evening.

_'Hell, I would have, but I'm glad I didn't have to waste the energy on it,' _he said canting his hips against Aaron's. '_I'd much rather spend the energy making you scream my name,_' Ianto told him as he gazed at Aaron's muscular body beneath him.

"And who am I to deny you anything," Aaron smirked as he pulled Ianto down into a deep kiss.

They didn't go on a honeymoon, both Aaron and Ianto thought the idea ridiculous. But they did plan a trip to Paris for Ianto's 27th birthday. "Never been on an airplane," Aaron shook his head in disbelief. "We've got to remedy that."

The week in Paris raced by all too quickly. Ianto didn't mind the flight at all and they had a wonderful time. Aaron had been to Paris several times but loved seeing Ianto's excitement at experiencing Paris for the first time. They stayed near Rue Cler in a little hotel within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower. They dined at the little restaurants and cafes there, and one evening had a picnic on the lawn by the Tower.

Ianto had purchased a French language package for his new Blackberry and was able to have conversations with shopkeepers and waiters. He programmed in the phrase _"Je suis désolé, mais je ne peux pas parler"_ so that anyone he started a conversation with would know that he needed to use the phone to communicate.

Ianto really did like museums and Aaron was stunned by his knowledge of Art, particularly Impressionist Art and French history.

"You never cease to amaze me," Aaron laughed as they walked hand in hand.

'_Have you not learned by now,' _Ianto snarked_, 'that I know everything?'_

Aaron clearly had the more romantic view of art preferring Rodin and Monet to Ianto's favorites - Picasso and Calder. They both loved the sensual beauty of the sculptures of Henry Moore, and neither really cared for Rothko.

Ianto stood in front of a giant Rothko in the Pompidou just staring at it. '_I don't get it. It's not unattractive, but what does it mean?' _(see graphic at my website)._  
_

"In my opinion, it means that you have impeccable taste," Aaron answered. Aaron wasn't at all uncomfortable confessing that his love of art dropped dramatically once he moved much beyond early twentieth century.

"I hate Andy Warhol. And Koons. (see website). Vacuum cleaners enclosed in Plexiglas. I guess I'm just unsophisticated but I feel like the artist is laughing at me, daring me to call it kitsch. And Outsider Art – what the hell…is it me, or is that an expression to describe weird stuff made by untalented people?"

Ianto laughed. _'Please, don't hold back Aaron. Tell me how your really feel. Come on, there must be something _a _little edgy that __you like.'_

Aaron actually looked around to make sure no one could overhear him. "Cornell Boxes," he whispered. (see website)

Ianto snorted.

"They make me laugh, in a good way. Can't explain it, but I'm fascinated by them. And I swear, if you ever tell anyone, I will make you sleep on the couch for a week."

Getting home from Paris was a little tricky as Ianto set off a metal detector at the airport in Paris. He had shown security personnel his medical letter which had been translated into French, but one guard made a big show of being upset and not wanting to let them through. Ianto showed him his Torchwood ID, but he was not impressed. Aaron however, had been concerned something like this might happen and had planned ahead. He smiled and handed the guard a letter of his own. Ianto could see it was in French and was on some type of official stationary with a French imprint. The guard read the letter huffed a bit and then saluted them. Aaron quickly took back the letter and guided Ianto through the security check.

'_What the hell did you pull?' _Ianto asked.

"Just a little insurance. I had father contact the Commander of UNIT's French forces and he wrote a little letter for you. Essentially it says that you are a Special Envoy to UNIT France and are to be given…let me look here…all the courtesies due to you."

'_I'm just surprised you didn't get a letter from The Queen herself.'_

"Well, I did try, but the best I could do was a letter from one of her Ministers and I wasn't sure that would cut it."

'_No, you didn't!' _

"Yes I did," he said producing the second letter for Ianto to see. "I always have a backup plan for my backup plan."

'_I didn't think it possible, but you really are more neurotic than I am.'_

"Runs in the family, both sides, I'm afraid," Aaron said as he rolled his eyes.

The rest of the trip home was uneventful. Aaron smiled to himself as Ianto seemed oblivious to the fact that they were getting through customs at Heathrow in record time. Someone must have recognized him from the Canary Wharf coverage several years earlier and Aaron could see some of the customs officials whispering and pointing at them. Ianto seemed genuinely puzzled when the clerk at passport control stamped his re-entry and said that he was glad to see Mr. Jones looking so well. As they headed out of the area, Ianto looked at Aaron who just shrugged his shoulders.

In early November, they were spending the evening watching television when Ianto got a call from Owen. Ianto was a little taken aback when instead of asking how he was Owen asked, "Ianto is Aaron there with you?" Ianto texted back that Aaron was sitting right next to him. "Good because I've got some news that may upset you."

Ianto mind raced. Were his friends at Torchwood OK? What about his family? Aaron sensed immediately what Ianto was thinking and moved to put his arm around Ianto.

Ianto held the phone between his ear and Aaron's so they could both hear.

They heard Owen let out a deep sigh. "Jack is back."


	55. Prodigal Son

**SUMMARY: **Jack returns from his trip with The Doctor. His welcome home isn't quite what he was hoping for. This chapter is rated PG for language.

_**Title is from: Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son who had fallen most low, could still be saved; the bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle. Soren Kierkegaard.**_

* * *

Jack was finally home. To say his whole trip with The Doctor had been a disaster would be the understatement of the century. Well in Jack's case, more than a century. The Doctor hadn't been able to 'fix' his immortality, then there was the whole year that never was, and he really couldn't say that even his relationship with The Doctor had improved much. The only good news was that from his team's perspective he was only gone a few months.

He stood on the invisible life and for the first time in over a year Jack felt happy. He couldn't wait to see the looks on his teams' faces. Oh they'd bluster a bit and Ianto would probably hold out for a few days before they were intimate again, but he just knew everything would be wonderful. He couldn't wait to go on a 'weevil hunt' with Ianto.

When he stepped off the lift he was confronted with a young woman with a very large gun. He flashed his patented Harkness smile but she was not impressed. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

Jack smirked. "Oh I'm sure you've heard of me, Captain Jack Harkness, Head of Torchwood Three?" She showed no sign of lowering her gun. "I'm back, relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

She smiled back at him. "Oh, I'm not worried about that, I'm just wondering how close I can be to you without getting blood all over me when I blow your head off." Jack started to take a step forward, but stopped when she cocked the gun.

"Come with me," she ordered. Even though he knew he'd come back if she killed him he figured it was best just to humor her for now.

As they headed down to the cells he asked, "Where are the others?" When she didn't reply, he continued, "You know, Gwen, Owen, Ianto, Tosh, my team?"

She motioned him into a cell and locked him in. "You be dealt with when they get back." She turned and walked away. Once she was out of Jack's sight, she ran up the stairs and called the team on her comm. "Guys, you better get back here, there's a man who came in claiming he's Captain Harkness."

The rest of the team was just heading back from a massive weevil sighting an hour away from Cardiff. By the time they got there, there had only been three weevils to deal with and they had easily been stunned and loaded into the boot of the SUV.

Owen looked at Tosh, while Gwen glanced at Mickey. "Fuck," Owen whispered. "Penny, what did you do with him?" asked Gwen.

"He's locked up with the weevils," she replied which brought a snicker from the rest of the team.

"Is he OK?" Owen inquired.

Penny snorted. "You mean other than being a git?" Owen smiled. She was good, maybe even better than Ianto when she was in full sarcastic mode.

"I meant is he physically OK."

"He's fine Owen. Came down the invisible lift like he'd been gone for a couple of weeks of vacation all tan and rested and ready to take the world by storm."

"Well that certainly sounds like Jack. Just keep him locked up until we get back; we shouldn't be much more than thirty to forty minutes. Good work Penny." Gwen added.

Owen was concerned about Mickey. "So Mickey, you've been noticeably quiet here, what's up?"

"You know this is not going to work. Assuming it really is Captain Harkness, how the hell can he return two years later and think he can just waltz in and take over the team?"

"Well we've talked about it enough times," Gwen pointed out. "We have to find out where he's been; see what he has to say for himself."

"And then you just let him back in and all is forgiven, right?" Everyone else looked a little sheepish. "I thought you were Ianto's friends? How do you think he's going to feel about this?"

"That's not fair, Mickey." Tosh looked like she could cry at any moment. "Jack did a lot for us before he left. We owe him the opportunity to explain himself. Then we can decide."

Mickey was not impressed. "Yeah, right. Guess I should be packing my bags and heading back to UNIT or maybe Ianto can put a good word in for me at Torchwood One. Cause I know who's going to get the boot." They rode the rest of the way back to the Hub in silence.

When they arrived, Penny was sitting observing Jack on the CCTV. She told them that he just been sitting there occasionally looking at the monitor. "Let's get those weevils taken care of and then we can deal with the weasel," Mickey growled as he headed back out to the SUV."

"Is there way too much testosterone in the air, or is it my imagination?" Penny asked.

Gwen sighed. 'Mickey's right, let's get those weevils into cells on a different level than Jack is in."

After the weevils were settled in they headed over to Jack's cell. He smiled as he saw his team walk in, but it dimmed a bit when they stood in a row staring at him with hostile looks on their faces. "Hey, I'm back, did you miss me kids? Tosh, Gwen you look great. Owen, wow you're looking much more field ready. And, Mickey, it's Mickey Smith. That's fantastic. And who's the little cute one?"

"Fuck you Harkness, if you are even him," Mickey spit out.

Jack was stunned. This was not the welcome he was expecting. "And where's my handsome, dashing Welshman?"

Even Gwen was infuriated. "How dare you come in here like you've been on a trip to London for a few weeks. First, Owen's going to take some blood and tissue samples and then if you are Jack, we've all got a few things to say to you."

"Where's Ianto?" Mickey pulled his handgun out and pointed it at Jack. "Not another word from you, not another fucking word until we say so or I swear I will blow your fuckin' head off."

'Ok, they think I'm an alien,' thought Jack, 'understandable. It'll be fine once they run my DNA through the tests. They've probably been so out of their depths that they're at their wits ends.'

Within a few hours the tests had been completed and Jack's identify had been confirmed. Penny had gone out and picked up some Chinese takeaway for everyone.

"Let me go down and get him," Owen volunteered." He knows me and I don't think he'll do anything stupid." Owen went and got Jack out of the cell and motioned him to walk ahead of him.

"Come on Owen, you know it's me. What the problem?"

"Jack," Owen sighed. "You have a whole lot of explaining to do."

When Jack entered the conference room he could feel the tension. Mickey was just waiting to explode. Gwen wanted to hug him one second and slap him silly the next. Tosh looked like she was going to break down sobbing. Penny looked bemused. And Owen was eerily calm and that scared Jack more than anything.

They ate in silence and Jack began to sense that something bigger was going on. He looked at Gwen and quietly asked, "What's going on, I know you're angry, please.." And then it hit him. "Oh no. Its Ianto isn't it. Something's happened to him...please, oh gods.." He had turned white as a ghost and was having problems catching his breath.

Owen was at his side in a flash. "Put your head down, and take slow breaths. That's it, calm down." The minute Owen had reacted, Penny had run out of the conference room down to Owen' work area and grabbed an emergency kit. Owen quickly checked Jack over though Owen was pretty sure that Jack was having a panic attack.

"Ianto is fine, Jack." Jack looked at him with disbelief. "Then why won't you tell me where he is?" Owen looked at Gwen and she nodded.

"Jack," she began, "Ianto is fine. He just doesn't work here anymore." Jack looked up horrified and everyone knew what he was thinking. "He wasn't retconned, he's well and happy and living in London."

"How…when…I've only been gone three months."

"Jack," Tosh said gently, "what's the date?"

Jack looked at her like she was daft. "It's November 1st 2007."

"Jack," she almost whispered, "It's November 1st 2009. You've been gone two years and three months, not just three months."

Jack felt a wave of icy cold fear move through him. This couldn't be real, after everything he had been through, The Doctor couldn't have left him off two years in the future. He felt the walls closing in on him. He tried to stand but felt dizzy and lightheaded. And then everything went black.

Owen quickly assured every one that Jack hadn't died. But for the first time in over fifty years, Jack had fainted from shock.


	56. Explanation

**SUMMARY: **Jack explains why he left with The Doctor. Gwen and Owen explain what's transpired during his two year absence leaving Jack despondent. This chapter is rated PG for language

_**Title is from: **__**It takes less time to do a thing right, than it does to explain why you did it wrong. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow**_

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Jack woke up several hours later in a cold sweat. He lay on the sofa in his office while Gwen and Owen reviewed some paperwork over at his desk. He groaned as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. Owen and Gwen looked over at him; Jack could see both anger and hurt in both their faces.

"Guess I owe everyone an explanation."

Gwen's lips were tightly pressed together. "That would be a start."

"Where is everyone else?" Jack asked looking around.

"We sent Mickey and Penny home," Gwen answered. "Mickey is too worked up right now and Penny doesn't know you at all. Tosh was feeling a little under the weather so she went home as well."

Owen and Gwen pulled their chairs over to face the couch. "So here we are," Owen said, "just the three of us. Do you understand that you've been gone for over two years?"

"I glanced at a newspaper before I entered the Hub, I didn't even notice the year. The Doctor said he was leaving me off as close to my departure date as he could without risking crossing my time line, I can't believe this has happened."

Jack covered his face with his hands trying to ward off the growing feeling of dread. "So where do we start?"

Gwen looked at Jack. He looked so despondent that she felt a catch in her heart. But she was madder than hell at what he had done to Ianto, to the whole team really. "Just tell us from the beginning. Why did you go Jack, and why didn't you tell us anything beforehand?"

They spent several hours discussing Jack's time with The Doctor. He told them about his hopes that The Doctor could 'fix' his immortality and how it couldn't be fixed. He vaguely told them a few things about the year he was on the Valiant, but nothing of seeing all of them murdered before his eyes, let alone his own torture and murder. They sensed he was holding back something, but from the look on his face, neither Owen nor Gwen wanted to push him on the subject. He'd tell them more, if and when he was ready to.

And the one topic that everyone danced around eventually had to be broached. "Why didn't you contact Ianto? Why did you treat him so dismissively before you left?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know, I mean I'm not sure myself. I knew I was going to go when The Doctor came so I guess I was trying to push Ianto away so he wouldn't get hurt."

Owen snorted. "Good move, you hurt him so you won't hurt him. Right."

"But I came back for you, all of you," Jack whispered "especially Ianto. There was no way I could tell you what was going on, and I didn't think I was going to come back so far in the future!"

"You know Jack; something interesting happened a few weeks after you left." Jack did not fail to pick up the undercurrent of disbelief in Gwen's voice. "See, we didn't know where you were or who you were with. So we spent a bit of time thinking you'd been abducted or were lying injured somewhere, who knows, maybe in a UNIT prison. And once we found from CCTV footage that you had gone with The Doctor, Ianto gave Martha Jones a call. He thought maybe she could tell us how to find The Doctor."

Owen continued, "And do you know what Martha told him? That she had a call from The Doctor who said you both were having a grand time together." Jack started to speak but the look on Owen's face silenced him. "Now I don't know about the year that you say never happened, but don't tell us that you couldn't have let Ianto know, hell, let us all know what was going on."

"I guess I could have…" Jack began.

Gwen was getting angrier by the minute. "Just cut the shite Jack. We're not stupid. You didn't call because you weren't intending to come back. Now maybe this whole year that wasn't did something to change your mind, but tell us the truth. If The Doctor had 'fixed' you, did you ever intend to come back?"

"No," Jack whispered. "It was only during that terrible year that I realized how much you all meant to me. How much I wanted to come back…home." Jack choked a little as he said this. "I can make it up to you, all of you, please give me a chance."

"Well, mate," Owen said, "you may be able to work your charm on us, but I'm afraid it's too late to try that with Ianto."

"Ok, you said he's in London; I'll go there, I'll apologize, I'll make it up to him," Jack said with increasing desperation.

Gwen took Jack's hands in hers. "Jack he's with someone else. They're a couple, had a civil union even. He's happy. He's genuinely happy. And I swear to god, Jack, if you do anything to disrupt that relationship, I will personally kill you myself."

"Who is he with, is it someone I know?"

Owen shook his head, 'no.' "His name is Aaron, he's The Brigadier's son."

"The one who made the hash brownies? The lush? I don't believe it…why that's… "

"Stop right now!" Gwen shouted. "Don't get yourself worked into an indignant huff. You have no right to criticize anything that's Ianto's done even if he was with Stephen. He's not. The Brigadier has an older son. Aaron is a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Royal Marines."

Owen realized that Jack didn't know about Torchwood One being rebuilt or anything else that had happened over the last two years. He went over to a cabinet and got out some glasses, an almost full bottle of scotch and poured out a generous measure for each of them.

"Where to begin," he sighed.

Several more hours and a half dozen scotches later, Gwen and Owen finished filling Jack in on much what happened during his absence. Jack was surprised how well they had handled the aliens coming through the rift, not just Weevils or Hoix, but a number of new species including the Dasyatis-nouveris. These deadly flying creatures resembled stingrays right down to a barbed tail that could kill with one blow.

Gwen and Owen were a bit miffed when he praised how well they had done. "Soccer nets tied together to act as giant nets. That's brilliant!"

"Well we had to just do what was necessary," Gwen pointed out. "It wasn't like there was another time traveler available to come and help us."

He paid close attention to their evaluation of Penny's performance. She sounded like a good addition to the team even if she had replaced Ianto. They did all have a laugh at the way she held Jack at gunpoint in the Hub. "Yeah, you don't mess with Penny, that's for sure," Owen said. "She could have just as easily killed you with her sarcasm as with her gun. That woman has a wicked sense of humor."

Mickey was a little more difficult to discuss. "He's done a remarkable job at leading the team in the field, Jack." Gwen pointed out. He's tough and he's fearless, and unlike you he can die." But frankly, he's been worried about you coming back taking away his leadership role."

"And what about you Gwen?" Jack asked. "How do you feel about my asking you to accept me as leader of Torchwood Three once again?"

Gwen bit her lower lip as she thought of the best way of putting her reply. "Honestly for most of the first year I felt like I was keeping things in place until you came back. But once we passed the one year mark, we all assumed that you weren't coming back and we've made some changes, good changes, as to how things run. Mickey and I make a good leadership team and…" her voice trailed off; she just couldn't say it.

"Torchwood Three runs better under you and Mickey than it did under me," Jack said finishing her thought.

"I'm sorry Jack," Gwen replied, "but we really are functioning quite well now."

Owen added his thoughts to the discussion. "I suppose, in the end, it will be up to the Queen, with input from UNIT and Torchwood One."

They agreed that Gwen would contact the Queen's liaison to Torchwood in the morning and take it from there.

Owen had some strong feelings about Ianto in regards to Jack's return. "I'm going to let Ianto know you are back before we talk to anyone. In fact, it's not so late that if I head home now, I can't call him tonight and let him know. And Jack, if you ever cared anything about him at all, don't contact him unless he's amenable." He's been through enough. He'll need time to adjust to the very idea that you are back let alone be able to see you. He may never want to see you or speak to you and I hope you are going to respect whatever decision he makes."

All things considered, Jack recognized that they were really being quite civil towards him. They would have been well within their rights to keep him locked up until authorities in London decided what to do with him.

He nodded his agreement. "Guess I should get a hotel room, I imagine my hideaway isn't in the best of shape."

"Well we haven't really done anything with it, but it's probably not appropriate for you to stay over in the Hub by yourself for the time being," Gwen pointed out. "Tell you what, let me call Rhys and let him know you'll be staying with us for the night. We can sort the rest of this out tomorrow."

Gwen stepped outside of Jack's office to call Rhys who was less than thrilled to hear that Jack was back and that he was going to be their house guest. "You are too forgiving Gwen; after what he did to Ianto, I'm going to find it difficult to even be civil to him."

"I know, but something's happened to him while he was away. He's different; more subdued, sadder I guess. Look, it will just be for the night. Its 9 PM and he really doesn't have anyplace to go."

Reluctantly, Rhys agreed to have Jack stay over. "OK, but I swear if he makes any cracks about Ianto, he's going to be sorry."

"I love you too, sweetheart," Gwen replied.

Gwen went back to the office and told Jack that everything was set. He and Owen went down into his room and found a few items of clothing that he could wear and threw them into a bag. Jack could see that nothing really had been touched, except that there was no trace of anything of Ianto's. Jack left with Gwen and Owen left for home a short while later. Owen had no idea how he was going to break the news to Ianto. And he worried that the stress of the situation would continue to take a toll on Tosh who was having a difficult time with her pregnancy as it was.

Later that night, Jack lay awake on the sofa in Gwen and Rhys' flat. So much had happened. Gwen and Rhys getting married…Tosh and Owen getting married, now that was a surprise. And Tosh pregnant! Ianto with someone else...happy and with someone else. It was bad enough to have to live forever, but did everything have to be so hard? He wondered if The Doctor had done this on purpose or if his entire existence on to eternity was just one big cosmic joke. A joke where the punch line had somehow eluded him.

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**I haven't many comments lately...and that makes me sad cause I like feedback. So in honor of 'make the sick author happy day' let me know if you are enjoying the story. Thanks.**


	57. Rejection

******SUMMARY: **Ianto reacts (badly) to the news that Jack has returned. Jack contacts Ianto. Things do not go as Jack had hoped. This chapter is rated PG for language  
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**__**Title is from: **__**You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance. Ray Bradbury**_

**Thank you for all your nice comments! It really made my day - and kept those plot bunnies going! I do respond to all comments (I just FF allowed us to do so at the fic).****_

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Ianto took the news of Jack's better than expected. At least Owen thought that was the case.

"He seemed very calm about it," he told Tosh when he joined her in bed. "Just said that he was glad I called him and he hoped something could be worked out for Jack in Cardiff."

Tosh had a feeling that Owen has missed some of the undercurrents of the conversation. "Did you ask him if he wanted to talk to Jack?"

"Not in that way. I did ask if Jack could call him and he said he wasn't ready to talk to Jack."

"That's sounds like a 'no' to me. And surely you didn't miss what he was really saying when he remarked that he hoped Jack would stay in Cardiff."

Owen's eyes widened as he realized that he had not caught on at all. "So basically, he's saying he doesn't want to see Jack and he doesn't want Jack to come looking for him in London."

Tosh nodded. "I think that about sums it up and just my opinion, I think that's exactly what you should tell Jack. If and when Ianto wants to talk to Jack, he's perfectly capable of contacting him. I really wouldn't give Jack an opening to think that Ianto has any interest in him."

"I thought you were the one who said we could all work things out," Owen said.

"I meant the team, at the Hub. That's a totally separate issue from Ianto."

Owen sighed and stretched his tightened neck muscles. "I have a feeling that we're in for a couple of very stressful weeks."

Tosh smiled and pulled Owen close to her, "Come here and we'll see what we can do to loosen those neck muscles…and maybe tighten some other ones up."

"Who would have thought you were such a vixen," Owen laughed.

"Shhh, let's just keep this our secret, shall we?"

Ianto had sounded perfectly calm on the phone with Owen. In reality his mind was spinning. Aaron was trying to get a handle on what Ianto was feeling but Ianto's brain was processing memories so quickly that it was like watching a movie sped up to several times its normal speed.

"Ianto, please calm down. You're working yourself into a frenzy."

Ianto stared at Aaron like he was nuts_. 'I'm not upset, well that upset. As long as he's in Cardiff everything will be fine. Oh gods, I hope he doesn't come to London, but if he comes, then I'll have to…'_

**"STOP!" **Aaron yelled so loudly that Ianto was stunned into silence.

"Come here," Aaron said softly, motioning Ianto closer to him. Gently taking him into his arms, Aaron projected soothing thoughts to Ianto. "Why are you so worried? He can't hurt you; he can't touch us, what's the matter?"

A frightening thought occurred to Aaron but he wasn't one to back away from the truth. "Ianto, do you want to be with him now that he's back? Is that what this is all about?"

Ianto gripped Aaron tightly_. 'That's exactly what this isn't about. I don't trust him Aaron, he smiles that dazzling smile but inside he's a cold manipulative bastard. So yeah, I'm frightened for my safety, for your safety, our relationship, our careers, and everything in between. I'm frightened that if he disrupts our life enough that you will get so angry that you won't want to stay with me.'_

Aaron felt an actual physical pain in his heart as he listened to Ianto. "Don't you know how much I love you? Don't you understand why I wanted to have a civil union and for us to wear rings? I don't care what happens Ianto, we're partners, bonded partners and I'm not leaving you unless you tell me to go."

As Aaron held Ianto he kept projecting calming thoughts and he gradually felt Ianto relax a bit. "Ianto, have faith in me, in yourself, in us together. As long as we're a team, nothing can touch us."

Ianto took a deep breath. '_Ok, you're right. But promise me Aaron, that you'll let me handle it. Please don't undercut me. I need him to understand that I'm not coming back to him, and I need to tell him myself.'_

"That's fine Ianto, but I want you to promise me that you let me know if he threatens my safety in any way. I won't have you manipulated due to fear about my well-being."

Ianto was not going to contact Jack, but they both agreed that it would only be a matter of time before Jack tried to talk or see Ianto. Just how persistent he would be in this regard, neither of them could guess.

"What do you want me to do if he contacts me directly," Aaron asked. He really wanted to respect Ianto's wishes but he also didn't want to find himself at the mercy of Jack Harkness.

_'It seems only fair that if he contacts you that you do what you think is right. And if you could avoid making look like I can't take care of myself, I think that will discourage him more than if he sees you as my protector.'_

It didn't take long for Ianto to hear from Jack. Less than a week later, Ianto received a call on his cell not long after arriving home from work. He immediately recognized the number as belonging to Jack own cell phone. He hesitated only a moment before picking up the phone.

'_What do you want Jack,' _Ianto texted to him.

"Hey, is that any way to greet an old friend after two years away?"

'_Perhaps not, but it's certainly the way I greet a former lover who deserted me.'_

"Ouch! Come on Ianto, are you going to stay angry with me forever?"

'_Probably, and I'm not going to apologize for it. You've got a lot of nerve calling me up like nothing has happened, like you didn't treat me like shite before you ran out on me to be with your precious Doctor.'_

"Ianto, some bad things happened to me while I was away. In fact…"

Ianto interrupted. '_Jack, I'm not really interested. I'm sorry if you didn't have a wonderful time while you were away, but truly, I don't give a flying fuck. You made a choice to leave, so what ever happened to you from that point on, isn't my problem or my concern.'_

Jack's voice sounded a lot more somber when he spoke again. "Ianto, I made a terrible mistake. I know I treated you badly. I'm sorry. I wish I could make it up to you somehow."

Ianto thought he just might lose control entirely if he listened to much more from Jack. '_Listen carefully Jack,'_ Ianto typed. '_You want to make it up to me? Fine. Stay the hell away from me and Aaron. Do not call me, text me, write to me or contact me in any way, shape or form. I have a wonderful partner who I adore, and the only thing you can do for me now, is to leave me alone_.'

"But Ianto…" Jack started to say.

'_What part of leave me alone didn't you understand Jack? There is nothing you can say or do that will make me want to be with you rather than Aaron. And the sooner you understand that, the better off everyone is going to be. Go visit some of your rough trade friends, go pick up someone in a bar. In a couple of months, you won't even remember my name.'_

Jack didn't answer back. '_That's all I have to say Jack. I won't accept any further calls from you, so don't bother trying. And I'm warning you, stay away from Aaron.' _And with that, Ianto ended the call.

After the call had ended Jack sat in stunned silence. Despite what Gwen and Owen had told him, he hadn't believed that Ianto would be so adamant in his refusal to see him. What the hell was going on? Wasn't he the one that Ianto wanted a few months (OK years, he corrected himself) earlier. And just who was Aaron and why was Ianto so obsessed with him? Jack didn't know if it was Aaron's looks or brains or money or sexual prowess that Ianto found so attractive, but by gods he was going to find out and once he did he had no doubts that he would win Ianto back.


	58. Steadfast

******SUMMARY: **Jack travels to London to learn if he will be reinstated as the leader of Torchwood Three. He confronts Aaron - and some fireworks ensues, followed by even more fireworks back at the Hub. This chapter is rated PG for language

_**Title is from: **__**This is the mark of a really admirable man: steadfastness in the face of trouble. **_**_Ludwig van Beethoven_**

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While the team waited to hear from the Queen's representative about Jack resuming his old position, Jack spent the next several weeks at the Hub reading incident files from the previous two years. At least that was what he was supposed to be doing anyway. In actuality, Jack spent a fair amount of time trying to find out as much as he could about Aaron. He was much more skilled with computer hacking than he let on to the team, and getting into the personnel records for the Royal Marines was far easier than expected.

As he read through Aaron's records, he was struck by the fact that there wasn't a blemish on his record. He was the typical career soldier, dutifully performing his job and working his way up the ranks over the course of almost twenty years. He also noticed that Aaron had seen combat and earned several commendations for service in the First Gulf War and Bosnia.

Several other items caught Jack's attention. He knew that the Royal Marines had the most extensive and difficult training regime of all NATO troops. It took almost a full year to become a Marine and the wash-out rate was high. The Commando course, four grueling tests over a seven day period was the culmination of training. Aaron had passed all four tests in four consecutive days, an almost unheard of achievement. Aaron had also completed specialist sniper training early in his career and later the Physical Training Instructor course as his primary job now was the training and assessment of new recruits.

Jack chuckled as he noticed the reviews that Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton received from those who qualified as Marines. Several commented that Aaron was the toughest bastard they had ever met. Others spoke to how he inspired them to succeed when they felt they couldn't go on. And several expressed amazement that he still did at least one Commando test with each group of recruits; after all he was over forty! Jack had a feeling that under other circumstances that he would probably like Aaron a lot. 'Tough and smart,' Jack thought, 'I can see why Ianto was attracted to him. He's just like me!'

Understandably Jack was shocked when he tracked down CCTV recordings of Aaron. He was so ordinary looking. Certainly not the dashing, handsome heroic figure Jack had imagined. He was nice looking, obviously fit, but really no one you'd turn around to look at twice. What the hell did Ianto see in him? Jack was even more puzzled when he accessed images of Ianto and Aaron together. Ianto seemed far more mature than he remembered. He looked healthy and had a fair bit of muscle on him. That was surely Aaron's influence. It was clear that Aaron and Ianto adored each other, the way they discretely held hands in public, the kisses they exchanged when no one was looking and most of all, the constant small smile on Ianto's face spoke to the depth of their partnership. Being the shorter of the two, Aaron would often rest his head on Ianto's shoulder when they embraced, while Ianto would hold Aaron around the waist with his right arm and cup Aaron's head with his left hand. 'Talk about love being blind,' Jack smirked as he viewed the images. 'At least we know who's the wife in their relationship.'

As the weeks passed, the rest of the team with the exception of Mickey began to relax in Jack's presence. While he still wasn't actively working, they began to include him in on strategy meetings. Gradually he was back to eating lunch with them, joking around and telling his outrageous stories while his audience laughed appreciatively. Even Mickey found himself smiling occasionally at Jack. That was the thing about Harkness, Mickey pondered, he was a lot like The Doctor, an irresistible flame for moths to gather around.

Right after 2010 began, Jack was asked to attend a series of meetings in London where his continuing role with Torchwood would be decided. He would be meeting individually with the Queen's liaison to Torchwood, several UNIT officials as well as the current Interim Director in Chief of Torchwood London. Jack was certain that after he met with them, he would be reinstated to his position as head of Torchwood Three.

Jack's first day in London consisted of meeting with officials from UNIT. For convenience they met at the new Torchwood One building, and Jack had hoped to get a glimpse of Ianto. He had no luck on that point, but after his meetings had ended on the first day he headed over to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee and write up some notes about the sessions while they were still fresh in his mind. As he walked toward an empty table with his coffee, he spotted a familiar face. It was Aaron. Jack hesitated only a moment before deciding to go over and speak to him. 'This could be interesting,' he thought.

Aaron appeared to be engrossed in reading something and took no notice of Jack's approach. Jack was wondering how he should get Aaron's attention when he heard Aaron say, without looking up, "What can I do for you Captain?"

Jack did his best to cover his surprise while he sat down and gave Aaron his best dazzling smile. Aaron just looked up saying nothing which unnerved Jack a bit.

"So Aaron, I thought I should come over and introduce myself." Aaron continued to stare.

"I'm well aware of who you are Harkness, the question is what do you want."

"Hey, I just thought it might be nice to meet Ianto's new boyfriend and my apparent rival."

A small smile crossed Aaron's lips. "Did you now? You know Captain; I could almost feel sorry for you if you weren't such an arrogant fellow. My rival. No, I don't think so. Surely someone must have told you that Ianto is my civil partner, as well as my lover and best friend."

"Well sure I know you guys are playing house together, but now that I'm back it's only a matter of time before he comes back to me."

"So tell me Harkness, what exactly are you going to do to steal him away? Promise him fidelity? Or monogamy? Oh, that's right, you don't believe in those quaint 21st Century concepts do you?"

Jack smirked. "Oh I can give him some things that I'm sure he's not getting with you."

"Ah yes, you must be referring to your intergalactically renowned blow-jobs. Your mother must be so proud of you."

"Why I'm shocked Aaron, you really are a son-of-a bitch."

"Thank you, I'm glad you realize that," Aaron said, his voice darkening.

"Are you threatening me?" Jack asked.

Aaron laughed. In fact he laughed so hard that he had to wipe some tears from his eyes. "Ianto and I are an empathically bonded pair. I think that's pretty rare, even in your time."

Jack eyes opened a bit wider in shock.

"And you do realize what that means?" Aaron queried. Actually, true pair-bonds were rare even in the 51st century. Jack searched his memory for anything that would answer Aaron's question.

"Our bond can only be broken by death or by consent of both parties. And before you start plotting my demise…."

"So you would hold him against his will?" Jack retorted.

"Oh please, spare me the righteous indignation," Aaron sighed, rolling his eyes. "It's tiresome. The truth Captain is that if I thought that you could make Ianto happier than I can, I would insist on the bond being dissolved. That's because I love him. I know, another quaint 21st century concept. What about you? Do you love him? Do you love him enough to let him go if that was what he needs?" Aaron asked.

Jack went to speak and then realized he couldn't deny what Aaron was saying. He'd had dozens of lovers over the years, a few spouses even, and never had any difficulty in walking away when it suited him. And what had he and Ianto had really. Some great sex, a little comfort, a few laughs. Why was he unable to let Ianto go?

Aaron continued, "He's not a toy for you to play with, he's a person with feelings and wants and desires of his own. Do you ever think of anyone but yourself? You made a choice to leave him without a word of warning, and now you have to live with the consequences of your actions. You're what, a hundred years old; grow up already."

"I didn't mean to be gone that long…"

"That really doesn't change anything. The minute you chose to go with the Doctor you effectively voided any claims of loyalty or love you had with Ianto. I've earned Ianto's respect and love and he has my complete devotion in return. That's just a reality you are going to have to accept."

Aaron got up from the table. "Please excuse me; I have to go meet my partner." And with that, Aaron got up from the table, turned his back on Jack and walked away.

Jack sighed as he watched Aaron walk away. Rationally he knew that Ianto would be better off with Aaron. Aaron was unyielding in his devotion to Ianto. Jack had felt it; he would stick by Ianto no matter what and Jack knew that was a commitment he could not, would not make.

'I'm going to leave him alone, I'm going to try to be the man The Doctor thinks I can be,' Jack silently promised. He held no delusions about how difficult if not impossible letting Ianto go would be.

Jack met with more UNIT officers for several more days before returning to Cardiff. He went out of his way to avoid anyplace he might run into Ianto or Aaron. He needed the position back in Cardiff more than ever and focused his energy to that goal. He hoped that he would have something left of his old life to look forward to at the end of his week in London.

No one was surprised when shortly after his return to Cardiff, Jack was reinstated as the head of Torchwood Three. Jack tried his best to include both Gwen and Mickey in his decision making process and while they both seemed to accept this, there were still moments when a quick decision had to be made, and it fell to Jack to make that call. Jack didn't always make the right call and Mickey would be infuriated.

"I can't believe you let Gwen and Penny go on their own to handle four weevils," Mickey shouted at Jack. He and Owen had had to go out and help capture the weevils after Gwen had almost been savaged by one as she zapped a second one.

"You never send out a team that's outnumbered two to one. That's just suicide. Well not for you maybe, but for the rest of us…" Mickey groused.

Jack, never one to admit mistakes easily ended up yelling back with, "I'm in charge here. Don't you dare question my authority."

"He's right to challenge you, if your authority is going to get us all killed," Owen shouted.

"Go home, all of you," Jack roared.

Tosh had never seen Jack so upset. She grabbed Owen before he had a chance to say anything more. "Come on, let's get out of here before this gets more out of hand." Owen looked at her and could see how the infighting was taking a toll. She was now almost seven months pregnant and Owen pondered how soon he could put her on medical leave without either her or Jack throwing a fit.

Later at home, Tosh and Owen talked about the growing conflict between Jack and Mickey.

"The problem is," Tosh offered, "that they are both so alike. They both have great field capabilities, but Mickey has a better sense on what the team can handle, while Jack has the better understanding of anything new that comes through the rift. And they've both pushed Gwen to the background in their fight for dominance, which isn't right at all."

Owen agreed, but couldn't see any way to solve the conflict. "Short of anyone leaving, this is just going to go on. I just hope that no one has to get killed before they realize that their stubbornness is a danger to us all."

Another five months passed without anyone managing to get seriously injured. Tosh had given birth to a healthy baby girl that she and Owen named Kimiyo (Kim for short). She was off enjoying several months of bonding with the baby, and working on her rift prediction program in peace when she got a call from Owen.

"Well, it finally happened," Owen told her. "Mickey almost got killed today. And it really was due to Jack's carelessness. A Viking came through the rift. Yeah, horned helmet and everything. Jack figured it was no big challenge and sent Mickey out on his own to nab him. Apparently Jack then felt uneasy about his decision and got there in time to get himself decapitated rather than Mickey. I haven't seen fireworks like this since the Millennium New Years."

In the end, Jack and Mickey both sent requests to the Queen's representative asking that one of them be reassigned to another location. The proposed solution shocked everyone. Jack was asked to leave Cardiff and become the head of Torchwood One.

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Comments are energizing! They make the plot bunnies hop faster. So what do you think is going to happen?


	59. Faults

******SUMMARY: **Jack is appointed head of Torchwood London. He reveals his intentions towards Ianto who will now report directly to him. This Chapter is rated PG for language  
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**__**Title is from: How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults or resoution enough to mend them. Benjamin Franklin**_

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When Jack announced the offer and his acceptance to take over the leadership of Torchwood One his colleagues in Cardiff were shocked. Jack smiled a bit as he felt their reactions to his announcement. Mickey was relieved, no surprise there. Penny was relieved, but her relief was not personal in nature, more of a 'well at least things will quiet down here' type of response. Owen and Gwen were saddened, though he sensed a bit of relief in them as well. And both also felt concern about Ianto.

After everyone else had left for the day, he was surprised to find Gwen standing at his office door asking to speak to him.

"You probably already know what I'm going to ask, but what the hell about Ianto. I know these things are not generally discussed with subordinates like Ianto, but I would think under the circumstances, that his feelings would be taken into account."

Jack nodded. "My appointment had already been discussed with him before the offer was made, and apparently he didn't have any objections."

Gwen raised her eyebrows at that. "Honestly, I'm as surprised as you are," Jack continued. And yes, I raised the issue when they made the offer. And no, I wouldn't have accepted if he hadn't been ok with it."

"Jack, when did you start to take into consideration Ianto's feelings about interacting with you? You certainly didn't before you left and even when you came back you seemed so focused on getting Ianto back."

"I guess I finally got a little perspective. I did contact Ianto right after I got back," Jack admitted. "You're right to glare at me, I didn't listen to what anyone had to say. He told me he didn't want to have any contact with me. So I didn't try to call him again. I ran into Aaron when I went to Torchwood One…"

"Jack…" Gwen started to speak but thought better of it.

"Anyway, I really did just run into him by chance and I ended up making a total fool of myself. I thought I'd have a little chat with him, maybe scare him off, get Ianto back, the whole fantasy rescue scene."

Gwen snorted. "I can just see you riding in on your white horse and rescuing him from the evil boyfriend."

"Well, it didn't work out that way. It was more like me plodding in on my little grey half lame mule. Aaron was as tough as nails. Under that ordinary looking shell was a man as strong as a Titan. His devotion to Ianto was complete and unwavering. He and Ianto have formed an empathic bond. There's no way I can interfere with that without causing great harm to one or both of them."

Jack realized that Gwen had never heard about pair-bonding and digressed to explain how Aaron and Ianto were emotionally joined for life in a bond that couldn't be broken by anyone other than them.

"And even without that bond, I finally realized that Ianto is with the right person. I wish it was me, but in my heart I know it isn't. So I've left them alone, no calling, no spying on them via CCTV, no interference in their lives. And I'm going to keep my distance when I take over Torchwood One. He'll report to me but I intend to keep that strictly professional in nature."

Jack could see that Gwen was a bit skeptical about his plans. "And I'm sure I can find some shiny new toys to distract me in London.," Jack said smiling. "Hey, I still look pretty good for 125 plus years."

Gwen laughed. "I don't think you'll have much trouble finding some company…even if you are old enough to be their great- grandparent."

"Oi, thanks for the encouragement."

"Seriously Jack, if you need someone to talk to or want to run an idea by, don't hesitate to call me. You know I'm your friend and I do want you to be happy."

"That would be so I don't make an arse of myself again."

"You got it."

Jack didn't want any type of farewell party, but did agree to go out with Owen, Tosh and Gwen for a few drinks his last day in Cardiff. They reminisced about their time together, but every time anyone said Ianto's name an awkward silence followed.

"I wanted to suggest that we all celebrate New Years together here in Cardiff," Tosh proposed. "That way we can assure that we get to see you at least once a year in a non-official capacity."

"Why not Christmas?" Jack asked.

Gwen, Tosh and Owen looked at each other in discomfort. Finally Gwen replied, "Because that's when Ianto and Aaron come into town and we thought it best not to overlap your visits."

Jack felt like he'd been punched in the gut, but took a deep breath. "Makes sense to me. Good idea." And it did and it was, he just wished it didn't hurt so damn much.

Jack didn't have a lot to take with him to London. He had moved out of Ianto's old flat once he was reappointed to Torchwood Three and his underground room held nothing but clothes and some personal items while his office had a few mementos including the coral that The Doctor had given him. He certainly had no intentions of taking the old camp bed or dresser or desk with him.

The personnel office at Torchwood One assigned him a relocation specialist to assist with the move, but in the end, Jack spoke to Martha who found several suitable flats for him. She sent information and pictures of them to Jack and by the time he moved to London, he had a signed lease for a two bedroom furnished flat not far from the new Torchwood One. His personal items fit into his the trunk and backseat of his car so no movers were necessary.

He thought about everything he had lost as he drove out of Cardiff for the last time. His relationship with Ianto's family had dissolved once Ianto moved to London. He had tried contacting them when he returned but neither David nor Mica would even come to the phone to speak to him. He heard David yell "You tell Captain Jack I hate him," in the background as he spoke to Rhiannon. Rhiannon had gently suggested that it might be best if he didn't call again. And while he had restored relationships with Owen Tosh, and Gwen (though not Rhys), it would never be the same with Ianto's ghost standing between them. Even Myfanwy wasn't the same, having transferred her loyalty from Ianto to Mickey and refusing to pay any attention to Jack when he returned.

He sighed as he headed toward the M4. It was the end of an era and time for a new beginning.

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**Keep those comments coming! I really enjoy reading your thoughts.**


	60. Ethics

**SUMMARY: **Jack begins his tenure as head of Torchwood London. Disagreements crop up between members of the Ethics Committee. Will Jack support Ianto's position or his detractor's position on cyber experimentation? And who is the new woman on the committee that Jack has his eye on? This chapter is rated PG for language.  
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**__**Title is from: **__**A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world." Albert Camus **_

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Jack assumed leadership of Torchwood London shortly before the fourth anniversary of the Battle of Canary Wharf. Fortunately, due to his recent appointment, he was able to maneuver out of attending the small memorial service held at the site. He reckoned that the day would be difficult enough for Ianto without his presence.

Within the first few months, he had met with Ianto and his other department heads several times and had also met with Ianto privately on two occasions. During each of these encounters he had tried to quietly reach out and sense Ianto's feelings but Ianto's psychic barriers were firmly in place. His expression was absolutely neutral and he barely reacted to anything Jack said beyond a 'yes sir,' or 'no sir.' And those responses were devoid of any of the humor or fun they used to hold. He didn't even sense any anger or anxiety from Ianto when they were together. It was like Ianto had completely deadened his feelings toward Jack.

In truth, Ianto's feelings were anything but tranquil. He was uneasy and off balance every time he was in Jack's presence. It was only due to his bond with Aaron that he was able to protect himself with walls of indifference. It became almost a ritual for Ianto. Before meeting with Jack he would carefully visualize himself in a castle surrounded by a high wall and a deep moat. Time for a meeting, raise the drawbridge. Put bowmen in the towers. Prepare the troops to defend against the assault. Nothing could get through.

The only chink in his emotional armor that Jack ever saw was in relation to his role as head of the Ethics Committee. The first year went smoothly enough, but by the second and third years, some of the younger members of the R&D Departments as well as on the Committee felt stifled by his adamant stance against risky experimentation. This came to a head when the group gridlocked on a project to work with Cyberman components scavenged from the site of the destruction of Torchwood One.

Jack agreed to sit in on their next meeting to assess what was going on and see if some compromise could be worked out. The arguments were heated and tempers were raw. Understandably, Ianto was opposed to any use of the cyber technology.

'_We just don't know at what point the cyber technology begins to overwhelm emotional freedom,' _Ianto pointed out. _'We can't take the chance of using even small implants. All it takes is one conversion and the whole human race could be at risk.'_

One of the younger members of the R&D team, Pete Denon strongly disagreed. He hated the whole idea that he needed to get permission to conduct vital research, and besides, what right did someone like Jones telling him what he could and couldn't do. Jones was clearly a coward, afraid of the future and not willing to do what it took to move forward scientifically. When he spoke, it was with a self-righteous arrogance that only the very young and inexperienced can afford to display.

"You know Jones; just because the big bad Cybergoons hurt you doesn't mean the rest of us can't handle it. Maybe you're too damaged for this type of job. Science belongs to the young and fit, not to aging deviants. "

Ianto's head snapped up at the last remark. '_Excuse me, what did you say_?' Iantochallenged.

Denon glared back. "Maybe I should be more direct. Maybe a man like you has no place in the new Torchwood. We need bold thinkers, warriors for science, not mincing men like you."

Ianto face had gone gray. Jack looked ready to explode. The other eight members of the committee all looked like they wished they could melt into the background. With as much dignity as he could muster, Ianto got up from the table.

'_I can see no reason to continue this meeting. It's apparent that Mr. Denon isn't interested in discussing this matter in an appropriate way. Therefore, I'm calling this meeting to a close until such time as I am convinced that we can have a meaningful discussion. Any attempt to start research on any project involving Cyberman technology is expressly forbidden.'_

Ianto turned from the table and began to walk to the exit. He was horrified when he heard Jack say, "Ianto, I did not dismiss you, please do not leave until I am finished."

Ianto turned back toward the table but made no move to return. Denon sat at the table smirking. Jack reached out mentally to Ianto who pushed back with 'you bastard, you've humiliated me in front of my team!' 'Shh…' Jack thought, 'have a little faith in me.'

"Mr. Denon," Jack said smiling politely, "you are being completely disrespectful toward Mr. Jones, who is not only your fellow employee but your superior on this committee. I'd like you to apologize to him immediately."

"The hell I will," Denon sneered. "You'd think that someone like him would see the benefits of cyber technology; he might be more normal with a few implants, but no he has to play martyr with his damaged hand and no voice. It's disgusting..."

"That's enough!" Jack roared. "Attitudes like yours are what caused the destruction of Torchwood One. Over two thousand people died that day Mr. Denon. Mr. Jones is one of only 27 people rescued alive from that nightmare and only one of less than a dozen still alive and functioning today. I was there when he was pulled from the rubble, and I've been with him directly or indirectly almost every minute of his life since then. I don't know anyone braver, stronger or more capable of heading this committee – and you will show him the respect he is due or you will have your resignation on my desk within the hour!"

Denon looked shocked. He hadn't expected this reaction from someone like Captain Harkness. In desperation he tried one more tactic, not one that anyone who knew Jack Harkness would ever dream of using.

"You know what he is, don't you? Lives with another man, he does. He a security risk and a deviant and he should be removed from his position."

While Denon was speaking the other members of the ethics committee were discretely eyeing each other. Two men on the committee who had both dated Jack rolled their eyes and prayed they didn't burst out laughing. One woman started giggling and pretended to blow her nose to cover it up. She had spent several 'interesting' weekends with Jack and Captain John. She didn't know if she'd call her time with them deviant, but she certainly thought of it as decadent. The other board members were well aware of Jack Harkness' reputation, including the fact that at one time he had had some type of relationship with Ianto. They sat speechless wondering if Denon would get out of the meeting alive.

When Denon had finished his tirade, Jack walked over to Ianto, put an arm around his shoulder and guided him back to the head of the table along side him.

"Do you want to say it, or should I?" Jack asked, as he smiled at Ianto.

'_Oh Sir, as the head of Torchwood, I really think you should have the honors.'_

"Ianto, as the Chair of the Ethics Committee, I believe protocol dictates that you make the announcement."

'_So sorry Sir, but I must decline. Roberts Rules of Order clearly specifies that…'_

"OK, if you insist. Mr. Denon, I'm afraid that you are being relieved of your position. Effective immediately, you no longer work for Torchwood London. Frank and Will (his two former dates) will escort you to your office where you may get your personal items. Security will be on hand to escort you from the building. Any attempts to remove confidential information, interfere with the operations of Torchwood or any inappropriate disclosures once you leave will result in you being charged with treason."

Denon was down but not out. "I'll contact the Queen directly on this! You won't get away with this!"

Ianto smiled. _'Don't worry Pete, I'll tell her myself when I see her for tea on Friday. I do so enjoy my monthly visits with her. I'll even put a good word for you with Harry if he's stops by.'_

Jack was furious at Denon's defiance. "If I hear one more word out of you, I'll have you retconned back to when you were in nappies. And for the record, I don't make threats, only promises. I have complete authority on this matter and yes you will be monitored to make sure that you comply with all secrecy agreements you signed."

He looked at the others at the table. "Now will someone get this man out of my sight; before I really get angry?" Frank and Will grabbed Denon and guided him out of the meeting room.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They took a brief break and then reconvened to finish the meeting.

"I happen to agree with Ianto, we can't afford to take risks with implanting parts from Cybermen into humans." Jack paused to make sure that everyone would hear what he had to say next.

"But I have to admit that some of the technology could have the potential of helping disabled people, particularly those with paralysis or neurological disorders. The question is how do we use the technology without creating uncontrollable risks?"

One of the newest members of the team, Dr. Tara Martin had given this some thought. "If I may, I'd like to propose that we continue to study the cyber implants until we fully understand what makes them work as well as what makes them potentially dangerous. We then might be able construct similar parts from scratch that will improve neurological functionality without compromising safety. Of course the entire project plan will be worked up first and submitted to this committee for approval before any actual work begins."

Jack was impressed. Dr. Martin was an experienced researcher with a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. Ianto had spotted her credentials while searching for an expert in medical ethics. He knew it was inevitable that they were going to look at adapting Cyberman technology and he wanted to be sure he had someone heading the program that had a good sense of the moral dilemma of testing on humans as well as the dangers of a Cyber conversion. Given the short shrift some of the younger researchers gave to these concerns, he needed someone who was both a technical expert as well as an experienced ethicist so that she would have the respect of everyone on the committee. Dr. Martin was the perfect candidate. In addition to her Ph.D. she had sat on the ethics boards at several prestigious hospitals, and had lost a brother in the Battle at Canary Wharf. Ianto hadn't known her brother, but he could tell that even seven years later, she still keenly felt the loss.

Also crucial to Ianto, was that she was a happily married mother of three young children, and therefore not in Captain Harkness' top ten categories for romantic liaisons. Ianto was aware of the many employees Jack had 'dated' in his three years as head of Torchwood One. A number had left the organization when the relationships ended and he couldn't afford to hire someone who would attract Jack's attention.

Now as he watched Jack admire Dr. Martin he felt a bit concerned. 'Single?' Jack queried.

'Very married, three children under the age of ten and an ordained Unitarian Minister,' Ianto pushed back.

Jack winced. 'Not exactly a woman with a lot of time on her hands then. If I didn't know better, I'd think you hired her as much for her personal background as her job qualifications.'

'You're too clever for me, Captain,' Ianto said smirking. 'The last thing I need is turnover of a key position as we start what could be a very risky venture.'

Jack could see the wisdom in what Ianto was saying. Jack had no doubt that if she were single or even married without children and not a minister to boot he would already be planning her seduction. He sighed; as much as he loved having Ianto around, he just wasn't any fun anymore.

Ianto smiled to himself as he left the meeting. 'That's another win for me, Captain Jack. You'll just have to go trawling somewhere else.'

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**So what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Constructive feedback always welcome!**


	61. Competition

**SUMMARY: **The Doctor visits Torchwood London and brings a surprise visitor for Jack, while Ianto and Aaron have a huge row over something Aaron insists on doing. Who's the visitor, and will Ianto and Aaron be able to resolve their differences? This chapter is rated PG for language

Title is from: If you're a competitive person, that stays with you. You don't stop. You always look over your shoulder. Magic Johnson.

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Jack continued to lead Torchwood One getting them ready for when everything changed. As the years passed, the last vestiges of anger and hurt that had existed between Jack and Ianto gradually dissipated. They certainly weren't social friends, but Ianto no longer felt the need to shield his mind so tightly around Jack and Jack didn't feel heart broken every time he saw Ianto.

In the spring of 2020, The Doctor made his first formal visit to Torchwood One in the twenty first century. It had been well over ten years since Jack had seen The Doctor and he was startled to find that The Doctor was in a much younger body – but he was still the same old Doctor on the inside. Jack took The Doctor on a tour of the facility including the R&D labs. The Doctor was pleased to see that they were developing their own type of cyber-technology, designed to be controlled by human thought rather than the other way around. And he was delighted when Jack told him The Queen had issued a proclamation that declared that The Doctor was an official 'Friend of the Crown' rather than an enemy of the state.

As they reminisced in Jack's office The Doctor asked, "So what's happened to your original team from Cardiff?"

Jack sighed. "Well, Mickey Smith is still the head of Torchwood Three. I think you knew that already"

The Doctor nodded.

"Gwen is still there and is his second in command. Her husband Rhys has come on board as well. He's doing quite well as a field agent from what I hear. Gwen and Rhys have two kids; I don't know how they manage Torchwood and a life of their own, but they seem to have it figured out. Owen's still there as well, but I wonder how much longer that will last. Mickey and he don't get along that well and frankly Owen isn't mellowing with age. And Tosh only works part-time for Torchwood since she had her second child; she and Owen just couldn't find the balance that Gwen and Rhys achieved.

"And…" The Doctor replied. "What about that young man you were so fond of?"

"You're asking about Ianto, right? Jack asked. "He's here at Torchwood One. The Executive Director of Research & Analytics that you met, that's him. You know, I've always wanted to ask you. Did you know you had brought me back to Cardiff two years in the future after our year on the Valiant?"

The Doctor was a bit embarrassed. "No, the Tardis seemed to have overridden my programming. I never have figured out why; but she clearly didn't want me bringing you back in a matter of months."

'Now that was interesting,' thought Jack. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he was relieved to know that The Doctor hadn't purposefully destroyed his relationship with Ianto.

"Are you two…?" The Doctor's voice drifted off, not knowing how to define their relationship.

"No we're not together. He had already moved to London when I came back. He had met someone else, was essentially married to him. They're still together."

"I'm sorry Jack. I know how much he meant to you."

"It's taken a long time, but I've finally come to terms with it. He's with the right person. He needs someone he can depend on, and as you know, I'm not always that reliable."

"Well, this makes a proposal I have for you much easier, I think. I've been traveling with a young man who can't return to his own time. I think he would fit in quite well here on earth. He's from the end of the 21st Century, and due to the whole paradox issue, the closest I can get him to his own time is now. Well, I could have gotten him a bit closer, but oddly enough, it was the Tardis who forced me to bring him to Earth. I had taken him to one of the first space colonies on Mars, but the Tardis refused to leave until I brought him with us to this time."

"He's from the planet Sto," The Doctor continued, "but of course humans haven't traveled in space yet, so he can't go back there. He has training in aeronautical engineering and technology from almost a hundred years in the future, which might come in handy.

Jack reluctantly agreed to interview the young man. While The Doctor went to the Tardis to retrieve the man, Jack wondered why The Doctor would trust anyone to his care. When The Doctor returned he was with a very young handsome man. Jack felt his heart skip a beat. For the first time in many years he felt an immediate pull toward the man. Not just physical, but an emotional tug he hadn't felt since he was with Ianto.

"Jack, I'd like you to meet Alonso Frame." Alonso put his hand out to Jack as he boldly looked him over. As Jack shook his hand, he felt a shiver down his spine.

"Oh yeah," Jack thought. 'This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.'

Jack's new 'friend' was soon a favorite topic at Torchwood One. Jack had hired Alonso as his Personal Assistant; needless to say, there was much speculation as to just what was included in Mr. Frame's job description.

Ianto met him the week after he started and was surprised to find that he liked the young man.

_'A nice young man,'_ Ianto sighed as he described him to Aaron. _'Probably all of twenty-three years old.'_

"And how old were you when you met Harkness."

_'About the same age.'_

"Ianto, are you jealous?" Aaron asked with a small smile on his face.

_'No, of course not…yeah, a little maybe. He seems so young; when the hell did I get old?'_

Aaron laughed. "Yes, at 37 you are practically ready for retirement. Think how I feel; I'll be 53 next month; trying to keep up with those recruits at the Commando Course is getting harder each year."

Ianto shook his head. Aaron's continued insistence in completing one of the tests with each new batch of recruits was one of the few issues the two men had exchanged angry words about on more than one occasion. Every time Aaron returned from a training session Ianto could see Aaron's bone deep weariness. And the last few years, Aaron would sleep for almost twenty-four hours straight upon his return. Ianto had asked him to stop doing the tests, but Aaron felt he had established his reputation as a tough bastard on his ability to complete the tests and didn't want to do anything to diminish his reputation.

One particularly fierce row ended with a shouting match that still stung both of them.

_'Wonderful, Aaron. I just hope that won't be the epitaph on your tombstone. Aaron Hamilton, toughest bastard ever, dead at age 55!'_

"Lovely, Ianto. Since you're so busy burying me, have you lined up your next partner?" And before he could stop himself, Aaron was horrified to hear himself say, "Maybe Captain Harkness will be bored with his boy toy by then and you can get him back." That was the last thing that Aaron got to say before Ianto turned and punched him in the face.

_'How could you say that to me?'_ Ianto raged. _'Every time you go off to one of those training sessions I worry that I'm going to get a phone call about you dying on the course. Why do you persist in doing this? When you were in your early forties it was almost amusing, but the way you looked after the last round scared the crap out of me. ' _

The only concession that Aaron would make was to have a full physical before starting a new round of commando training. Ianto wondered if subconsciously Aaron felt he was in some kind of contest with Jack, needing to prove to himself and Ianto that he wasn't really growing older. Ianto could only hope that he wouldn't end up losing his very mortal partner as he tried to compete with Jack's immortality.


	62. Evolution

******SUMMARY: **New rifts develop around the world and Jack finds himself in conflict with UNIT about how to deal with aliens coming through them. Alonso takes on a new role at Torchwood London and Ianto heads up an important new project. And Aaron is still determined to complete a test on the commando course with his latest batch of recruits. This chapter is rated PG.

___**Title is from the following: Evolution in thought and conduct must at first appear as heresy and misconduct. George Bernard Shaw **_

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The next few years at Torchwood London were exceptionally busy and challenging for Jack. New rifts in the time/space continuum were turning up around the world, and alien encounters were occurring with increasing frequency. And while they were mostly life forms that Torchwood and UNIT had previously encountered, it was clear to Jack that planet Earth was not ready to defend itself against any major invasion. Unit was still slow to respond to world-wide alien threats so Jack proposed adding Torchwood staff to already existing UNIT field locations as well as establishing new offices in previously unprotected locations.

Given UNIT's bureaucratic nature, progress dragged on at a snail's pace. Jack found himself once again in conflict with UNIT, something that he had worked hard to avoid. Following a spectacular argument between Jack and the UNIT Commander in Warsaw who was responsible for the eastern half of Europe, Jack sat at his desk his hands rubbing his temples.

"After all that's happened, including that near miss with The 456, you'd think they'd understand that we're running out of time," Jack sighed. Alonso came over to stand behind Jack and began to massage his shoulders. Jack groaned with pleasure as Alonso kneaded the knots into submission.

"Jack, why don't you let me handle the communications with UNIT? Hell, UNIT already knows I'm from 100 years in the future. I can tell them, without telling them anything that would cause a paradox, what's likely to happen if they don't get their act together. You're from too far in the future to know the details of what's going to happen over the next fifty years on this tiny planet, but I do, and it's not pretty."

Jack felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Alonso, you're a miracle worker. What would I do without you?"

"A lot more wanking off by yourself in the shower for starters," Alonso smirked. "Think I'll get started on some planning for my big debut with the troops," Alonso said as he went to leave Jack's office. "I just love men in uniform, don't you?"

Jack chuckled as the door closed behind Alonso. He had to admit that Alonso would probably get more done in a month than he'd been able to get done in two years. He was tired of having to justify everything he wanted to do to practically everyone. They said they understood why he couldn't give them details, but he wondered if they thought he was just exaggerating about what the future held. Between UNIT, the Queen's Representatives, The Prime Minister, and Parliament, Jack was spending more time meeting with officials than he was in assuring that Earth would be safe.

'Thank the goddess for Alonso,' Jack thought. 'He's my personal stress reliever. And he places no expectations on me which makes being with him effortless. We both do as we please, as well as who we please. I've never seen anyone less interested in making a commitment to another person, including myself. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't shagged at least half of London by now. '

Alonso, as Jack was soon to discover, had other hidden talents. For a man so young, he was very skilled in the art of diplomacy. While plans for new field offices were still moving slowly, at least the UNIT offices worldwide were expanding to accommodate Torchwood trained agents. The toughest obstacle to this arrangement was the command and control structure. Both UNIT and Torchwood wanted to be the final authority on how alien invaders would be dealt with. It took Alonso and Jack months of work to gain agreement on protocols for handling various known alien species. As for new species, UNIT felt the best plan was to destroy them immediately, while Jack advocated for capture and rehabilitation into the general population if possible if they came through the rift and for a return to space if they landed on earth without posing a threat. They finally agreed that the team that was in charge of the mission would decide.

"Unfortunately, if UNIT is heading the mission, they will end up shooting the alien unless it's humanoid, and if they can control their trigger fingers," Alonso groused. "You'd think with me leading the negotiations, they'd at least be embarrassed to say that they wouldn't have a problem killing a human if he came from the future."

"Embarrassment and introspection aren't UNIT's forte," Jack acknowledged. "After all, I'm not even fully human." Alonso was startled by that revelation. "OK," Jack admitted, "I'm about ninety-eight percent human DNA, but still they know that I can't be permanently killed so something's different about me. And what about The Doctor, he's supposed to be under the protection of UNIT and The Crown. Are they going to shoot him if their scanners read alien? There's got to be a better way to handle this."

Jack ended up asking Ianto to put together a new team of research scientists as well as team of the best information analysts for two projects. The information analysts would search the archives for any species that had come through the rift from the not too distant future perhaps a hundred years. Alonso had traveled the nearer galaxies and could supply information about any aliens he had encountered while traveling and where their home planets were located. This would be analyzed to predict when these nearby aliens would most likely make first contact with Earth. Each species would be studied and defenses developed toward hostile ones, while protocols for dealing with the benign ones would be put in place. Predictive analysis was Tosh's specialty so she would be Ianto's second on this team.

Tosh was thrilled when she was asked to take on this new role. She could easily handle it from Cardiff and everyone at Torchwood One was in awe at how accurately her rift predictor program was in terms of determining times of greater and lesser rift activity.

"And I'll get to talk to you a lot more often," Tosh said as she accepted Ianto's invitation to work on the project. "I've missed our chats and I'd like to see if you've improved your chess game any."

'_I'm afraid mine's probably deteriorated quite a bit,' _Ianto admitted_. 'Jonathan was my only chess partner In London and he and Kelly have their hands full with the brood they've had.'_

"Was if four or five kids they ended up having?"

'_They had four of their own, and adopted a child from China as well. Can you imagine, five kids over a ten year period? Even with Kelly staying at home full time it keeps both them very busy. I haven't seen either one since the last New Years party at The Brigadier's.' _

"Yeah, your life changes a lot when you have kids," Tosh laughed. "Did you and Aaron ever think about having kids?"

'W_e talked about it a few times, but the timing's never been right. With Aaron gone for several months each year training and testing new recruits, and my work schedule, we don't feel we could give a child the time and attention necessary to be good parents. Hell, the dog ends up spending too much time in doggy daycare, but what can you do?' _

"I forgot about Shayna," Tosh admitted. "She really is your baby."

'_As close as we're going to come. And unfortunately, she's getting up there in years, so there are a lot more health problems now. I'm taking Shayna to acupuncture once a week to help her with stiffness from arthritis. I know you probably think we're crazy…'_

"No, I don't think that at all," Tosh said interrupting Ianto. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you or Aaron."

Ianto sighed. '_Tosh, you don't know how much I miss you and Owen and Gwen and Rhys. Not to mention my sister and the rest of the family. Mum's not getting any younger and David will be twenty-six and getting married next Christmas. Mica's twenty-two and just finishing her bachelor's degree in Architecture. I see them maybe twice a year if I'm lucky.'_

"Who knows, maybe I'll have to have some important planning meetings with you here in Cardiff. In fact, I'm sure we're going to need some every couple of months or so."

'_Yeah, I bet we will…I love you too Tosh,' _Ianto typed knowing that Tosh really did love him like a brother and missed him as much as he missed her.

Jack had a second project he wanted Ianto to work on but Ianto convinced him to have Dr. Martin take the lead role instead. The cyber research had stalled some time before when the best scientific minds were not able to pinpoint the source of the conversion dangers. The project was shelved until science had progressed enough to provide for a better understanding of the cyber designs. Ianto knew that Dr. Martin wasn't happy working on routine experiments and the new project sounded like something she'd be interested in.

Everyone recognized that keeping alien species that accidently came through the rift prisoners was less than satisfactory. Jack was hoping to find a way to pinpoint the time/space origin of the rift exchanges and return the aliens back through the rifts to their homes. Species like the Weevils weren't out to take over the Earth and would probably be delighted to be sent back to their own planet. But given their aggressive nature, they couldn't be allowed to run loose. Jack in fact knew the planet where they originated from, but currently there was no way to get them there. And while they didn't live peaceably even on their own planet, it wasn't Torchwood's business to judge their civilization. Rather, returning species through the rift, particularly if they couldn't or wouldn't mesh into Earth society was the best solution for both the inhabitants of Earth and the aliens.

Jack had never told anyone that the Weevils were a proud species that lived in tribes made up of devoted family groups. The tribes often warred with each other, but they were far more intelligent then anyone on present day Earth realized. Even in Jack's time there wasn't much known about them (outsiders were not tolerated on their planet) but scientists were pretty sure they communicated through low rumbling sounds below the threshold of human hearing. Jack also thought they were probably mildly telepathic, communicating within their tribal group without the need for speech.

Dr. Martin was enthusiastic about leading the 'rift return' project. Ianto was relieved when she accepted as he really didn't think he could head both projects.

'_I think Tara will be brilliant leading the team,'_ Ianto told Aaron on the phone. _'And while my new assignment isn't going to be easy, I'm hoping that maybe we can schedule those Cardiff meetings on Friday and maybe take some long weekends to see my family.'_

Ianto heard Aaron sigh deeply from the other end of the phone. '_Aaron is everything OK? Are the training exercises going alright?'_

"I'm tired Ianto. Every year this gets a little harder. I miss you, Shayna, London, just having time to myself. I just want to finish this round up and get home."

Ianto really wanted to ask Aaron to skip completing a test this training session, but he knew if he raised the issue it would only lead to a fight. Aaron would accuse him of being over-protective, Ianto would get furious that Aaron wouldn't admit that he was getting too old to complete tests that sixteen to twenty-five year olds failed 80% of the time, and it would all be a mess. He was just grateful that Aaron would be home in a week. Ianto knew he was going to find a way to convince Aaron to stop behaving so recklessly, but he didn't know quite how. But right now Aaron needed his support and Ianto wasn't going to withhold it.

'_Aaron, take care of yourself. I love you and I can't wait to see you in a week.'_

"Love you too Ianto. You take care. Hug the stinker dog for me."

When they ended the call, Ianto felt a bit better. Aaron only called Shayna 'stinker' when he was in a good mood. He was obviously tired, but everything was OK.


	63. Exhaustion

******SUMMARY: **Everyone's exhausted. Aaron arrives home safely but is totally spent. Jack is exhausted from dealing with UNIT. Alonso is exhausted from dealing with UNIT and Jack. And Ianto is exhausted from worrying about Aaron. Add to this a disastrous joint mission between Torchwood and UNIT and you end up with a volatile situation. This chapter is rated pg.

**_Title is from: An era can be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted. Arthur Miller_**

* * *

Aaron arrived home the following week feeling exhausted. 'Maybe Ianto's right, I am getting too old for this shite. Still, there's nothing like watching some twenty year olds gawk in amazement as I pass them on the course.' Aaron chuckled at the thought.

Ianto was careful not to fuss over how Aaron looked, he ordered some food in and made light conversation while he and Aaron ate. He was used to Aaron not talking much when he first returned from training, it was almost as if he was so depleted that he couldn't muster the strength to speak.

What was surprising was Aaron getting up in the middle of Ianto saying something and looking a little bewildered. "I'm sorry," Aaron apologized, "but I'm too knackered to even eat dinner."

'_It's OK, let's just get you to bed and we'll get you unpacked tomorrow.' _Ianto had to practically undress Aaron who could barely keep his eye open. He helped Aaron into some pajamas and helped him into bed.

_'Do you need anything?'_ Ianto asked. When he didn't get a reply he looked closer at Aaron and realized that he had literally fallen asleep the minute his head hit the pillow. Ianto sighed and went to go clean up from dinner and unpack Aaron's gear.

When he finally came to bed, Ianto took some time to settle. After sleeping alone for two months, it always took a couple of days for Ianto to readjust to sharing the bed with anyone except Shayna. He glanced at the foot of the bed and saw two eyes carefully watching Aaron sleep. 'You keep an eye on him while I'm at work tomorrow," he thought. 'Don't let him get into any trouble.' Shayna continued to stare at Aaron for a while, finally sighed and closed her eyes.

The next morning Aaron actually got up to see Ianto off to work. Ianto thought Aaron still looked pretty tired but resisted the temptation to chide him about resting more. Ianto was going to drop Shayna off at daycare, but Aaron wanted to spend the day with her.

"She won't bother me, it'll be nice to have her around. Now if I could only get her to operate the washing machine, I'd have it made." Ianto gave Aaron a kiss goodbye and headed off to work. He still liked to get in early to give himself some time to prepare for the day's meetings.

When he got to work he had a message waiting for him from Jack. An emergency meeting had been set for 9 AM with UNIT officials following a disastrous joint mission a few hours earlier in Mexico. A new alien resembling a fire breathing dragon had come through the rift there, and in their panic a UNIT soldier had started firing just as the Torchwood operatives were approaching the alien to try to capture it. One of the operatives was killed and the other was seriously wounded. Finger pointing and recriminations were in full flow by the time word got back to UNIT headquarters and Torchwood London.

Ianto sighed. He was really hoping that he'd be able to get away early today; that had no chance of happening now. He grabbed a cup of coffee and headed over to Jack's office. He wasn't surprised to find Jack and Alonso sitting at a table in Jack's office discussing the various reports that had come in from both UNIT and Torchwood operatives who were on scene.

"Come in Ianto, we're just trying to figure out what the hell happened," Jack said motioning Ianto into the office.

Alonso looked up at him and shook his head. "From the reports you'd think there were two separate events going on. UNIT has one view of the events and not surprisingly, Torchwood's view is quite different."

Ianto began to quickly scan the reports and saw what they were talking about. Using the computer on the table he began to quickly draw a scale diagram of the scene positioning everyone where they said they were standing in relation to each other. Where reports contradicted each other, he drew two locations, labeling one as Unit and the other as Torchwood's information. As Ianto began to sketch in the background and any items identified by either team as obstacles or relevant to the shooting, Jack's computer signaled the arrival of a new email.

"That's got to be photos from the scene." Jack printed out the photos so they could get a better look at what was being described in the reports. Ianto and Alonzo began to compare the pictures with the scene and immediately noticed a serious discrepancy.

'_Jack come look at this,' _Ianto said. '_The Torchwood employee that was killed couldn't have been where the UNIT team reporting him standing_.'

Jack was concentrating on the final images printing out and wasn't really paying attention. "What was that, how can you tell…oh shit," he said as the last photo came out of the printer.

Alonzo rolled his eyes. "Jack, focus over here please. The UNIT people are in error in their reports. I wouldn't venture whether it was a group think type of mistake or a deliberate cover up , but what they are all saying just isn't possible."

Jack finally tore his eyes away from the final picture. "How can you be so sure?"

Ianto sighed_. 'Look at where the blood of the two Torchwood operatives has soaked into the ground in this picture. Now look at where the alien's body is. Finally look at where the UNIT personnel were. There was nothing blocking the UNIT shooter's view of the scene. The two were moving across the shooter's field of vision when he opened fire.'_

Alonso nodded in agreement. "The shooter was probably totally focused on the alien. You know how visual field narrows when adrenaline kicks in. He probably didn't even see them, just caught some movement out of the corner of his eye, panicked and opened fire."

Jack looked like he might cry at any moment. "And the alien isn't even dangerous", he said showing them the last picture. "It's a Grendelwyrmian. They do resemble dragons of mythology, but any reports of fire breathing are due to overactive imaginations. The Torchwood team got it right when they speculated that the steam coming from the alien's mouth was due to hot water vapor being aspirated into the relatively cooler atmosphere. They killed a harmless big green lizard-like tea kettle. I swear heads are going to roll on this one," Jack growled angrily.

"Jack…" Alonso started cautiously.

"Do not tell me about diplomacy Alonso, I don't want to hear it! They murdered one of my operatives, injured a second as well as a killing a harmless alien!"

"But Jack…" Alonso started for the second time.

"By the goddess, Alonso, if you don't…"

'_STOP RIGHT NOW JACK,' _Ianto pushed out with every bit of empathic force he had. Alonso didn't react while Jack grabbed his head.

'_Alonso is right,' he typed into his speech simulator program. 'Even though they are totally at fault, you are not going to get anywhere with that approach. Let's put our heads together and decide how to get this addressed without starting World War Three, OK?'_

Ianto realized that Alonso did not have any empathic ability worth speaking of. Quietly, he pushed out, 'do you remember the last time you pulled something like that…I do…why don't you just shut the fuck up and make the coffee…I think that's what you said. Do you want to lose him too? "

Jack looked up at Ianto and shook his head no. Ianto nodded. Alonso knew they were communicating but was unable to pick up anything except their body cues.

"Alonso, I'm sorry. You know I don't mean it when I yell at you when I'm upset. Right?"

Alonso felt hurt and embarrassed by Jack's comments. 'Getting yelled at in front of a co-worker, Ianto of all people, and for what?' he thought. 'Trying to help Jack avoid making an arse of himself in front of UNIT.'

Ianto had a pretty good idea what Alonso was feeling. 'Been there, done that,' Ianto thought. And he'd heard how little real attention Jack paid to Alonso.

To Jack he said, _'I think you owe Alonso a dinner at No. 35 or perhaps Le Gavroche if his tastes are more Continental. What do you think Alonso?'_

"I think it'll be a start." Alonso said.

By the time the UNIT officers arrived they had a strategy firmly in place. It took hours of wrangling, but in the end, Jack was able to use their fear of exposure of their troops' embarrassing mistakes, to get UNIT to agree that a Torchwood operative would be in charge of any alien encounter and that only upon that operative's orders could weapons be discharged. By 14:00, they were drafting the language for the final agreement. Ianto had started to feel tired after lunch but attributed it to the stress of the meeting with Jack and Alonso and the current meeting with a room full of angry and defensive UNIT brass.

As Ianto tried to calm himself he suddenly felt very strange. Something was clearly wrong. His heart felt like it was beating funny and he hoped he wasn't having a panic attack. 'Damn, I haven't had one of those in years, what the hell's going on?' He pushed out to find Aaron. Aaron could always calm his mind, even at a distance. He felt his mind touch Aaron's and gasped as pain filled his chest and ran down his arm.

Jack could tell that something wasn't right with Ianto. "Ianto, are you OK?"

Ianto thought he was going to throw up and wanted to leave the room before he embarrassed himself. He tried to get up from the table, staggered toward the door and crashed into the door jamb. Jack and Alonso both ran to help him.

"Ianto," Jack yelled, "what's wrong?"

Ianto pushed back with, 'its Aaron, something's happening to Aaron!"


	64. Emergency

**SUMMARY: **Ianto senses something's wrong with Aaron. What's going on? This chapter is rated PG.  
_**  
**_**_Title is from: We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it's there for emergencies but he hopes he'll never have to use it. C.S. Lewis quotes _**

* * *

As Ianto swayed on his feet, Jack and Alonso helped him out of the conference room. They eased Ianto to the floor and Jack began to loosen Ianto's tie.

'_Call the rescue squad, tell them to go to our house, break down the door if necessary,'_ Ianto pushed out. Jack hesitated for a moment. _'Damn it Jack, do it now; Aaron doesn't have much time._'

Jack grabbed his phone and ordered a Priority One emergency medical assist to Ianto's home. "No, we're not sure what exactly is wrong, but the man is clearly having a severe medical crisis…Yes we were able to communicate with him briefly before we lost contact."

Alonso's eyes widened a bit as Jack ended the call. "Well we did. Just didn't use conventional methods." As Jack helped Ianto to his feet he asked Alonso to take over the negotiations. "I trust you, just get it done. I'm taking Ianto home now, make whatever excuses you want to the UNIT brass but I'm leaving with Ianto now."

When it appeared that Jack wasn't going to say anything else, Alonso turned to go back to the conference room. Jack sensed he was uneasy and a bit confused. Jack ran over to him.

"Alonso, Ianto needs to be with Aaron and he's not fit to drive. I'll call you as soon as I can." Jack kissed Alonso on the forehead whispering, "Go take care of those Unit bureaucrats, Tiger Pants." Alonso smiled and kissed Jack back, then headed back to the conference room.

Ianto had been standing still concentrating on connecting with Aaron. "Come on," Jack ordered. "We'll take a Torchwood emergency vehicle, it'll be faster."

They practically ran to the parking garage. Jack drove out of the parking garage so quickly, that Ianto thought the car might skid as it screeched around the ramps. Jack put the siren on as soon as they hit the streets. As they made the drive to Ianto's and Aaron's house, Ianto was strangely quiet. Jack glanced over and saw that Ianto had tears in his eyes.

"Ianto, tell me what's going on. What do you sense?"

_'I don't sense anything, Jack. Aaron's not there!'_

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

OH

NO!

**(Evil author decides that anxiety levels have been sufficiently increased to continue with the story).**

As soon as they arrived at the house, Ianto was out of the car running for the open front door. He entered inside to find paramedics working on Aaron. He tried to get nearer but one of the paramedics held him back. "Who are you?" he asked.

Ianto had no idea where his phone was. Shit, how was he going to be able to tell them who he was. Fortunately, Jack came in just behind. "He's the spouse," Jack yelled.

The paramedic looked puzzled for a moment and then nodded his understanding. Another paramedic yelled, "Ok, we've got a heartbeat back now, let's get him loaded and out of here."

As they worked on getting Aaron moved to the ambulance, one paramedic stayed off to the side radioing information to the hospital. When he finished, he turned to them saying, "He's had a heart attack. He was conscious when we got here, but coded as we were taking his vitals." His radio crackled. Ok, we're ready to go, we're taking him to Kings College Hospital. Take your time, secure your house, get any documents you'll need, it will some time before there will be any additional information for you at the hospital."

After the ambulance left, Ianto looked to assess the damage. The front door hadn't been damaged, that was odd. Had Aaron been able to let them in before he collapsed? And then it hit him, where the hell was Shayna? He began to frantically look around the house when he heard her barking…outside.

As he ran back to the front door, Jack was already outside speaking to…oh their neighbor Susan Goldsmith. Ianto relaxed. She had Shayna on a leash. She took care of Shayna occasionally if there was an emergency or both Ianto and Aaron were away on business at the same time. The dog was pulling a bit on the leash trying to get back to the house but quieted when she saw Ianto. Ianto hand signaled for Shayna to sit and she immediately did so.

"I was walking Sadie, when the paramedics arrived. They told me that the call had come from Torchwood, so I knew you'd be on your way. And since I have your house key I let them in. But when they tried to go over to help Aaron, Shayna wouldn't let them near him. I finally coaxed her away and thought it best if I moved her into my house until the paramedics were finished. She's been frantic every since I took her to my house. She's always so obedient, but I think her protectiveness toward Aaron overroad all the training."

Ianto unconsciously fished for his cell phone and found that it had somehow ended up in a trouser pocket. '_Can you take Shayna for a bit until I can make other arrangements?'_

"She can stay with me and Sadie as long as is necessary. The two old girls get along fine, its no trouble at all." They went back into the house and Shayna immediately went over to the spot where Aaron had been laying. She whined, and lay down on the spot refusing to move.

'_Let's just leave her there while we get her stuff.' _Ianto quickly gathered up her dog bed, food and few toys. Jack volunteered to take the stuff over to Mrs. Goldsmith's house. Ianto kissed Shayna, and typed something on his cell phone that when played sounded strange to Jack. It wasn't English and he was pretty sure it wasn't Welsh either. Shayna paid very close attention to the voice simulator.

When Ianto signaled for Shayna to go with Jack and Susan, Shayna hesitated for only a moment. Shayna looked as dejected as Ianto felt. He heard Susan say "Shayna, would you like some ice cream?" Shayna barked once, and Ianto heard Jack laughing. Ianto looked out the door and saw that Shayna's tail was up a bit and she looked much happier.

'I wish ice cream was all I'd need to feel better,' he thought.

When Jack returned, Ianto had located Aaron's cell phone and wallet to take with him. He looked around in confusion, not knowing what else to take.

"Hey," Jack said gently, "let's lock up the house and get to the hospital. I can come back and get anything you need later."

Ianto nodded in agreement and they left for the hospital. The paramedics had been right about the long wait. It was several hours before anyone came to speak to them. In the meantime Ianto had texted The Brigadier and Stephen to let them know what had occurred. They all agreed to wait to call Bryan. Since Bryan had moved to Australia almost ten years prior, it didn't make sense to contact him until they had more information.

Jack called Owen who made arrangements to have Aaron's test results sent to him as they became available. He also called Alonso and learned that the final draft of the Memorandum of Understanding had been completed and would be official once Jack and the head of UNIT signed it. Even before Jack told him, Alonzo knew that Jack was going to stay with Ianto until the crisis hopefully passed.

"The UNIT brass were quite upset with what happened with Ianto. I didn't know what if anything, they knew about his abilities so I just told them that he was feeling a bit dizzy and that you were taking him to the hospital for a precautionary check-up. One of them wanted to call Aaron's father, but I persuaded him not to." Alonso was relieved to learn that Ianto had already contacted The Brigadier.

"Let me know if there's anything you need. And Ianto…tell him I'm thinking about him." Jack was a bit surprised at Alonso's last remark, but thought it was a nice gesture.

After the call ended, Alonso continued to think about Ianto and Aaron. He never really imagined himself in an exclusive relationship with anyone. He wondered what it would be like to have someone so devoted to you that you couldn't imagine living without them.

He smiled thinking, 'well that's sure not going to happen with me and Jack.'


	65. Crisis

******SUMMARY: **Aaron's life hangs by a thread and Ianto senses foul play from an unexpected source. This chapter is rated PG.

**_Title is from: _****_Every little thing counts in a crisis. Jawaharlal Nehru_**

Authors Note: Angst on full throttle for this chapter. Tissue may be required. And comments...where are those comments? Feed the plot bunnies by leaving comments!

* * *

When the attending physician finally came to speak to Ianto and Jack, the news wasn't as bad as they had feared. Aaron had experienced a heart attack due to a single blocked artery and needed surgery to correct the problem.

Jack called Owen who agreed with the diagnosis and proposed treatment.

"It's a relatively straightforward operation really," Owen told Ianto trying to reassure him.

The only thing that concerned Owen was that a brain scan hadn't been done to see if there were any impaired vessels there as well. The attending explained that an MRI or CT scan wasn't considered necessary if the blockage was to a single artery with only a simple angioplasty required to fix the problem.

Aaron was stabilized and surgery was scheduled for first thing in the morning. Ianto was allowed to look in on Aaron for just a few minutes. As he watched his partner sleep, Ianto silently prayed to every god he had heard of that Aaron would survive the surgery.

Ianto wanted to stay over at the hospital, but Jack insisted that he go home and try to get a few hours rest. Jack drove Ianto home and when he saw how exhausted Ianto was helped him into the house. Ianto stood just inside the doorway for a moment before bursting into tears.

'Oh god, if something happens to Aaron, I don't think I'll be able to go on,' Ianto thought.

Jack hesitated only for a moment before taking Ianto into his arms. "Shh, everything's going to be fine. Aaron will have his surgery tomorrow and he'll be home before you know it. Let's get you to bed."

Before he could stop himself, Ianto asked, '_Can you be there for the surgery tomorrow?'_

"I'm driving you to the hospital, so yes, I'll be there." Ianto began to object but Jack made it clear that he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. Ianto was so exhausted that he didn't object when Jack helped him undress and tucked him into bed.

"I'll be by at 7 AM for you; I'll call you at 6 and make sure you're awake, OK?" Ianto nodded. "I better get home, I'm sure Alonso has a pile of documents for me to sign…oh, I almost forgot, he wanted me to tell you that he's thinking about you and Aaron."

Ianto looked at Jack incredulously. "No, I'm not kidding; he's very worried about you."

Ianto snorted and held back a laugh. Jack felt a little miffed at Ianto's reaction. _'No, its not that, it's just…well tell Tiger Pants I appreciate the thought.'_

"If you ever tell him you heard me call him that, you are going to suffer," Jack said laughing as well.

As Jack drove home, he thought about how life had so many strange twists and turns. When he first heard about Aaron more than ten years ago, he had actually wished that something would happen to remove Aaron from Ianto's side. Not Aaron's death, but that Ianto and Aaron would have a falling out or Aaron would find someone else, anything that would allow Jack to rekindle his relationship with Ianto. Now, he couldn't think of anything he wanted more than for Aaron to live, so Ianto wouldn't have to experience any more heartache in his life.

Jack picked up Ianto promptly at 7 AM. He could see the dark circles under Ianto's eyes and knew he hadn't slept much or well.

'_Get everything signed?' _Ianto asked just to make conversation.

Jack sighed. "Yeah, Alonso left all the papers for me, and he can pick them up today on his way into work." Ianto looked at Jack with confusion.

"We have a very open relationship. But I think he was a little irked that I stayed so long at the hospital. So he left me a note that he was going out clubbing. How he can stay out all night and be so awake the next day is beyond me, but…" Jack's voice trailed off not knowing what he wanted to say.

As they entered the surgical waiting area, Ianto was surprised to see Stephen there. _'Shit', _Ianto texted, _'I forgot the call The Brigadier and tell him about the surgery this morning. How does Stephen know?'_

"I called The Brigadier last night when I got home, I'm sure he called Stephen," Jack offered.

They went over to where Stephen was sitting. If Stephen was surprised to see Jack he didn't give any indication. "Father's in with Aaron, they are only letting one visitor at a time see him."

A few minutes later, The Brigadier came out and embraced Ianto then shook Jack's hand. "Hiking thirty miles in eight hours with a 20 pound pack. That boy is daft."

As Stephen stood up, The Brigadier hugged him as well and kissed him on cheek. "All my boys are a little crazy, and I love them all. Ianto, you can go now and see Aaron," The Brigadier offered.

'_Stephen, have you seen Aaron yet?' _When Stephen said he hadn't, Ianto insisted that he go next to see him. Jack, the Brigadier and Ianto sat in silence in the surgical waiting area.

After a bit, The Brigadier broke the silence. "I heard there was a major problem with some of the UNIT operatives in Mexico." Jack was surprised how quickly word had spread. The Brigadier had retired from UNIT six years prior and Jack knew that neither he nor Ianto had mentioned anything about the Mexico debacle to him. Yet, here he was, at age seventy-six talking about highly classified information like it was on the second page of the Daily Mirror.

Jack sighed. "Don't worry old man," The Brigadier continued affectionately, "you'll get it sorted out." Jack smiled to himself. Seems that The Brigadier's sources hadn't mentioned UNIT's complete capitulation.

Stephen came out from ICU, and Ianto went in to see Aaron. He almost gasped when he saw Aaron. Aaron was deathly pale. And there were so many tubes and machines hooked up to Aaron that Ianto's mind flashed back to the Cybermen at Canary Wharf. 'Don't go there, Ianto,' he admonished himself. He leaned over and kissed Aaron on the forehead moments before a nurse came in to tell him it was time for Aaron to go to surgery.

The four men sat around the surgical waiting area for hours. Ianto tried to tap into Aaron's thoughts, but was unable to do so. Whether it was the equipment or Aaron's sedated state that was prevented the connection, Ianto became increasingly worried as the hours passed. Several times Jack and The Brigadier tried to get updates but nobody had anything to tell them.

Five hours later, they saw the surgeon walking towards them. Ianto took one look at his face and knew the news wasn't good.

The surgeon sat down with them and sighed. "The bypass surgery itself went fine. Unfortunately, Mr. Hamilton suffered a brain hemorrhage just as we were finishing the procedure. He's alive, but comatose. I honestly don't know if he'll survive or if he does how bad the damage will be. I'm so sorry. I want to look at a few readings and then I'll be back."

Ianto and The Brigadier were allowed to see Aaron for just a few minutes. The Brigadier shook his head, sighed, and wiped a tear from his face. When he motioned for Ianto to leave the room with him, Ianto shook his head 'no.' Ianto didn't know how long he stood there trying to connect with Aaron. When he finally left Aaron's room in ICU, he had tears in his eyes, but a small smile on his face.

'_He's there; I felt it,' _he told the others.

Jack, Stephen and The Brigadier glanced at each other with concern. While Ianto had been in with Aaron, the surgeon had come back with a social worker to talk to the family about turning off the ventilator. The brain waves they were getting were very small indicating that the damage to Aaron's brain was severe. If Aaron survived he would most likely be totally incapacitated.

The Brigadier tried to explain to Ianto what the physician had told them, but Ianto wouldn't listen. He got up from the group and walked away. Stephen followed him, but Ianto glared at him until he retreated. Jack suggested that Stephen and The Brigadier go home and he would stay and try to speak with Ianto.

Jack went down the hall, to talk to Ianto. '_If you're going to ask me to kill Aaron, you can just leave.'_

"Ianto, I'm not going to ask you to do anything. He's your partner; it's your decision to make."

'_But you don't believe he's still there cognitively, do you?'_

"Honestly, I don't know what to think, Ianto. Let's go back to your house and we'll call Owen."

'_I'm not leaving.'_

"Oh come on Ianto, you can't stay all night."

'_Yes I can, and I'm going to. The minute I leave, they're going to pull the plug on him.'_ Jack started to speak, but saw the anger in Ianto's face.

'_Yeah, I've been sensing everyone's emotions, and that's what's going to happen. The surgeon is angry and he keeps visualizing Aaron's alarms going off and him standing by doing nothing…' _

"Ok, I'm calling Owen right now." Jack and Ianto explained everything to Owen and waited to hear what he had to say. "Ianto, tell me what you sense."

'_He's fighting to live Owen; he's asking me not to give up on him. I can feel it clearly, Owen. I'm not delusional or making it up, I can feel it as clearly as I can hear you talking to me on the phone.'_

"Ianto, Jack, don't leave that hospital tonight. Stay by Aaron's room. I'll be down there no later than 8 AM tomorrow. I'll be bringing some equipment with me from Torchwood, so be ready to pull your big guns out tomorrow."

"I'll do better than that," Jack told him.

Once the call ended, Ianto went back to stand guard by Aaron's room while Jack called The Brigadier and told him what Ianto had overheard.

"Are you sure Ianto's not imagining it?" The Brigadier asked, worried that Ianto might be mistaken.

"My abilities are no where near Ianto's, but I can tell you that there's no deception in Ianto's remarks. He may be mistaken, but he believes he heard Aaron communicate with him. And I don't think the hospital is intentionally doing anything wrong either; they don't believe there's anything left of Aaron so they'll just let nature take its course."

"What do we do Jack?" They decided that if Owen judged him stable tomorrow morning, they would move Aaron to the UNIT medical facility. In the meantime, The Brigadier was going to make a few calls and cash in some remaining favors due him from still active UNIT officers.

It was almost midnight when Jack got a signal on his cell phone. He told Ianto to stay by Aaron's room as he was going to get 'reinforcements.'

"Don't leave there no matter what you hear, Ianto. Trust me, I won't let you down."

A few minutes later, Ianto heard a bit of a commotion down the hallway toward the main area of the hospital.

"You can't do that," once voice yelled.

"On who's authority are you here…stop right now." It sounded like an actual fight was beginning.

He heard the sound of ammunition clips being loaded into weapons. Jack stormed into the area followed by four armed UNIT soldiers. Jack pointed out Aaron's room and two guards immediately flanked the doorway while the other guards stood across from the door. Behind the soldiers was Dr. Martha Jones.

She walked over to Ianto and hugged him tightly. "The cavalry's here, and just in the nick of time."

The on-call physician had been paged and he ran down to the room to see what was happening. "Gentlemen, this is highly irregular. Is this man some type of criminal? We can't have armed soldiers in ICU. Who authorized this?"

Jack gave the doctor his thousand watt smile. "The Prime Minister has approved this," he smirked as he handed an official letter to the physician.

"How do I know this isn't some kind of joke…?"

"Do those guns look like jokes to you?" Jack growled.

Martha, ever the diplomat, took the young physician by the arm. She spoke softly to him as he nodded. Finally, he said gave up saying, "fine, fine, you can take the case over…if you think you're going to have anything left but a vegetable… well, you'll see." He departed from the area shaking his head in disbelief.

Martha focused on Ianto. "Let's go have a look at Aaron. You know he is gravely ill. But once Owen gets here we'll have a better idea of what, if anything, we can do."

As Martha went into Aaron's room, Ianto turned and looked at Jack.

'_I don't know how to thank you Jack_. _I can't understand why you would do this for Aaron.'_

"You don't? You really don't, do you? It's because…" Jack just couldn't bring himself to say it. "I just want you to be happy." Jack excused himself and went and found a quiet corner of the hospital where he could cry his heart out in private.


	66. Examination

**SUMMARY: **Owen and Martha try to figure out what's wrong with Aaron. Aaron's mother surprises Ianto. This chapter is rated PG for language.

Authors Note: Another full throttle angst chapter. Tissue may be required.  
_**  
**_**_Title is from: Examine the contents, not the bottle. The Talmud_**

* * *

Owen arrived at the hospital a little before 8 AM the following morning. He wasn't a bit surprised by the reaction he received when he asked for Mr. Hamilton's room.

The woman at the information desk rolled her eyes. "And just who are you? We're already overrun with UNIT personnel here, we're really not equipped to deal with all the…"

"I'm from Torchwood."

"Bloody marvelous. Between Torchwood and UNIT you have half the staff and all of the patients terrified. The cheek of some…."

"Mr. Hamilton's room please," Owen said as he clenched his teeth.

After some more complaining, the attendant finally gave Owen directions to the ICU. He had to admit that he wasn't prepared for the site of four armed soldiers guarding Aaron's room. And he was also surprised, but delighted to be greeted by Martha Jones as he entered the room.

They chatted for a while and reviewed the latest brain scans and vital signs. From Owen's experience, the prognosis was not promising. Still, if Ianto heard something… Owen didn't want to speculate until he could examine Aaron for himself.

He looked over to where Aaron lay and saw that Ianto was sitting next to the bed totally focused on him. He hadn't acknowledged Owen's arrival and seemed unaware of the other people in the room. This wasn't going to be easy, especially with Ianto and Aaron's family hovering nearby.

He said hello to The Brigadier and Stephen as well as to Jack and some young man who introduced himself as Alonso Frame. Best to clear the room so that he could do a thorough exam with several alien scanners and have a frank discussion with Martha.

"Alright, I need some space to work. Has anyone had breakfast? No, well why don't you all go get some and let me check Aaron out." Everyone got up to leave except Ianto. Owen went over to him and quietly suggested that he needed to have breakfast. Ianto wouldn't even look at him. Owen motioned everyone to leave and shut the door once they had.

"Look Ianto, I know you are upset, but I really need you to let me examine him."

'_You can go ahead and examine him but I'm staying.'_

"If I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd be insulted. Please Ianto, let me do my job. You need to eat, and I need to be able to run these tests and analyze the results objectively."

'_You don't think he's really alive, do you? That's why you want me to leave.'_

"For fuck sake, Ianto, I'm not saying that, but I need to be able run the tests and analyze the results. I'm not going to hurt Aaron, there are armed men outside the door, do yourself a favor and go get something to eat. If you get sick, you are not going to be much help to Aaron."

Something about that last remark got through to Ianto. He startled as if he only was just becoming aware of his surroundings. '_Sorry Owen, I'm just so worried that those scanners won't pick up what I sense. And then everyone will want me to order that life support be disconnected.'_

"Ianto, regardless of what I find or don't find, no one is pulling the plug on Aaron. So please let me and Martha see if we can't figure out what's going on, OK?"

Ianto reluctantly agreed to go get something to eat. He was surprised to see that The Brigadier had waited for him with Martha. The Brigadier gently led Ianto away from the room as Martha entered.

"I'm not even sure what half these setting are for," Owen told Martha as he unpacked the three scanners he had brought from Cardiff. "This one," he said pointing to the largest, "seems to be the most conventional in that it measures temperature, pulse, respiration rate, oxygen exchange rate, fairly routine things. The second one performs a thorough blood chemistry. So thorough that I'm not what's being analyzed in some cases. The small black box measures brain wave activity. But it measures some things that we haven't been able to identify."

They ran the first scanner over Aaron and Martha looked at the results. "Well, this is pretty straight forward, body temperature is a little depressed but nothing alarming, respiration you can't really use since he's on a ventilator, pulse is slow but that's not unexpected."

The second scanner had a series of colored bars with 00 superimposed over each one. What are these two?" she said pointing to two blue glowing lines.

"Let's get a blood sample and you'll see." Owen pricked Aaron's finger and put a drop of blood on a small arm of the scanner and the numbers began to change.

"Red cell count and white cell count," Martha realized. "His red cell count is actually pretty good…must be the physical shape he was in other than that blockage. The green lines..Oh it's HDL, LDL and total cholesterol. What's the red line?"

"C-reactive protein. Not a great number, but not terrible either," Owen noted.

"That puzzles me, why would he have a fully blocked artery when he was in otherwise excellent shape?"

"Most likely an inherited defect," Owen explained. "His mother had almost identical experience at about the same age. She had one artery that was almost entirely blocked; fortunately she got to a hospital before she suffered a heart attack."

"And the subsequent stroke?"

"I don't know Martha, lots of people have miniscule brain bleeds and never even know it. Or a blood clot could have formed or broken free during surgery and traveled to the brain creating a blockage there and triggering a stroke. Again, it could be hereditary, or maybe the physical punishment of the Commando Course threw something off in his body…electrolytes, oxygen levels, I just don't know." There were several other bars with numbers but neither one could interpret the results.

They moved on to the third scanner observing that Aaron's brain waves were consistent with a person after having a stroke. "Low alpha and beta wave activity," Owen remarked. "Not unexpected since they control higher brain functions."

"The theta and delta waves look a bit better than I would have expected," Martha pointed out.

"Yeah, especially the Theta waves…they have a lot to do with dreaming, and controlling emotion…"

"So that could indicate that he still has emotions and feelings which Ianto is picking up on."

"But look at this wave – it's very strong, but I have no idea what being measured. Its marked 'ε', maybe for emotions?" Owen speculated.

"Maybe empathic waves…" Martha started to say. "But how can we tell? And this one, marked with a pi symbol, it's a straight line…"

"Could be measuring something that's part of alien physiology for all we know."

As they waited for the others to return from lunch, they discussed what they were going to tell everyone. They could explain the results but that still wouldn't put Ianto in a much better position to justify not having life support removed.

Owen sighed, "I don't even know if there is a right decision. I don't envy Ianto, The Brigadier and Stephen clearly believe that Aaron shouldn't be maintained on life support, and Aaron's mother will be arriving in the next day or so and who knows what she'll think. Still, I think we can all agree that we should move Aaron over to the UNIT medical facility and continue to monitor his status."

"I have an idea Owen. If the ε wave could be measuring empathic waves, let's try it on Ianto. It couldn't hurt and it might explain what Ianto is sensing."

When the group returned from breakfast, Owen and Martha explained the results and of the scanners and the tests they wanted to run. They ran the brain wave scanner over Ianto and got results typical for a waking, mentally engaged person. But Ianto's ε-waves were very high. As a point of comparison they scanned Jack who showed some ε-wave activity as well as Alonso, The Brigadier and Stephen who showed none.

Jack asked to look at the third scanner. "I've seen one of these before, but I can't remember when…" Jack stopped speaking, obviously deep in thought. "I have an idea. It may not show anything, but go with me on this."

He motioned Ianto to come and stand near Aaron. "Ianto, ask Aaron a question that you'd expect to get a 'yes' answer to." Ianto went to type on his phone.

"No, push the question out to him with your mind."

Ianto nodded and focused his attention. Jack held the scanner near Aaron and then up for everyone to see the results. The ε-wave function showed a small increase.

"Now ask him something that he'd give a stronger positive answer to."

Ianto thought for a moment and then smiled. Jack smiled back at him, having sensed what the question was going to be. As Ianto pushed the question out to Aaron, the ε-wave function showed a huge increase.

"Let's see what happens when you ask him something that he'll have a strong negative response to." Again, the scanner showed a huge increase in the ε-waves.

"Well something is going on. Some part of Aaron's brain is responding to the questions," Martha pointed out.

The Brigadier was a little confused by the results. "But what does that mean exactly? Can Aaron recover from this?"

Neither Owen nor Martha could answer the question. "I think it means that we shouldn't be too hasty about making any decisions," Jack suggested. "Perhaps the best thing to do is to give it some more time and see what happens. Not really any harm in doing that, except for the cost. And while the hospital may not want to take on the burden of the expense, UNIT probably will. And if they won't, I'll authorize Torchwood to reimburse UNIT for the cost."

"Either way," Martha added, "I've already made arrangements for him to be transported to UNIT ICU this afternoon."

The Brigadier and Stephen seemed to accept this idea and Jack already knew that it was what Ianto wanted. Aaron's transfer to UNIT was uneventful and then the excruciating wait for something, anything to change in Aaron's status began.

Aaron's mother arrived the day after Aaron was transferred. Ianto had only met her a few times, but she was a forceful and dynamic women. He had worried that she would try to bully him into disconnecting Aaron from life support, but surprisingly she was supportive of Ianto's decision.

"As his mother, I don't think I could give the order. And as his partner, it's really your decision."

Ianto didn't think that Aaron's mother was terribly religious, but he had never asked Aaron about end of life decisions and didn't know what would be considered appropriate by his Israeli family.

'_Ronit, are their 'Jewish' guidelines for keeping someone on life support? I don't want to do anything that would be offensive.'_

"We're not a terribly religious lot, but I spoke to his step-sisters and the best I can sum it up is that we all think that it's fine to prolong life as long as there is some hope of recovery, but not to delay death when it is inevitable."

She looked at Ianto and took his hands in hers. "I know, not very helpful, am I? But I know you love him, and I trust you and will support whatever decision you make. I will only ask you to do one thing for me."

Ianto hoped it wasn't going to be something he wouldn't want to do. "If…," she stopped speaking. "When the time comes, promise me that you'll have him buried, not cremated. I know he's going to be buried with the Hamilton's, but please don't let his body be burned."

Ianto shuddered at her request. The way she put it made him think of Canary Wharf…but he wasn't sure why she would ask him not to…then it struck him. '_No of course not, that I can promise you.' _

"Thank you Ianto. Would you mind if I just sat here a bit with him on my own? I need to tell him some things, and I'd like a little privacy."

'_Of course, take all the time you need.'_

Ianto decided to go get something to eat which would give her at least an hour alone with Aaron. As he left, he was surprised to hear Ronit praying softly, "…מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ" (_Mi sheberach…).*_

He remembered his own prayers the evening before Aaron's surgery thinking, 'I don't know about foxholes, but there don't see too many atheists in ICU.'

* * *

*Prayers commonly known as a Mi Sheberach (literally means 'He who blessed') are said on different occasions and in recognition of many life events. There is a Mi Sheberach which is recited for someone who is ill:

"May he who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, bless [names] with healing. May the Holy One have mercy on them, heal, strengthen and revive them. Speedily grant them a complete healing, a healing of the soul and a healing of the body, along with all who are ill, now and swiftly. And let us say: Amen."


	67. Waiting

**SUMMARY: **As Aaron's remains in a comatose state, Ianto and Ronit share memories of Aaron. Warning: Consumption of Goldschlager ahead. This chapter is rated PG.

**_Title is from: _****_Life was always a matter of waiting for the right moment to act. _****_Paulo Coelho_**

* * *

Days passed with no change in Aaron's condition. Ianto stayed by his side only leaving to eat or sleep. He probably wouldn't have even done that, but Ronit was staying at the house and she insisted that he return with her. She had warmed up considerably to Ianto when she observed the depth of his devotion to Aaron. And she worried that if Aaron survived, Ianto would be exhausted and unable to assist effectively in Aaron's recovery.

They'd arrive home every evening from the hospital and picked up Shayna from Mrs. Goldsmith. Shayna would always be so happy to see Ianto and Ronit. But when they went into the house, Shayna would wander from room to room looking for Aaron before sadly settling down next to Aaron's favorite chair.

"She really misses Aaron, doesn't she," Ronit remarked.

'_She really is Aaron's dog. She's always good natured, but you can see her light up when Aaron is around. The minute he comes home, she totally ignores me and focuses completely on him. It's been like that since the day we adopted her. Not to mention that she understands Hebrew.'_

Aaron had told his mother this and she thought he was making a joke. Now, she looked at Ianto saying, "Oh come on."

'_No really, she does. I have a Hebrew language pack on my phone but for some reason she doesn't respond all that well to it. I don't think she always recognizes it as a 'real' voice; it just blends in with other electronically produced sounds like the TV that she ignores. Say something to her in Hebrew and watch what happens.'_

"Ok." Ronit thought for a moment. מי כלב טוב ''* Ma kelev tov?

Shayna came over to Ronit. "Shev." Shayna sat down. "Da'ber." Shayna barked once. Ronit laughed. It was the first Ianto saw her smile and he realized just how much Aaron's smile looked like his mother's.

"What? You're staring at me, Ianto."

'_I just never realized how much Aaron resembles you. The way you half close your eyes when you laugh, that's exactly what Aaron does.' _Ianto choked up a little as he finished the sentence.

Ronit motioned Ianto over to where he was sitting. She hugged Ianto and began to cry. Though she was a small woman and at seventy-two years of age looked a bit frail, she was surprisingly strong. She held him tightly as she sobbed out her fears to Ianto, gasping between thoughts.

"He's my oldest child…we hardly ever see each other. We're all so busy, we think we have plenty of time… but we really don't, do we? And it's not right for me to finally get to know you only because of Aaron's illness…and not right for me to have to think about burying my child."

Ianto felt a few tears escape him as he held her until her crying finally stopped. They both sighed simultaneously. Ianto went into the kitchen and got them each a glass of water.

"Ianto, you wouldn't happen to have something a little stronger? I think we could both use it tonight."

Ianto went to a cabinet in the lounge area and took out a bottle and two shot glasses.

"Goldschlager, Aaron's favorite," Ronit noted. Ianto poured them each a shot.

As the evening progressed, Ronit began to tell Ianto stories about Aaron as a baby, his childhood shuttling back and forth between Israel and the UK several times a year. How she had wanted him to go to college in the UK so he would get to know his father better, but was devastated when he decided not to return to Israel.

"It sounds silly now, but it felt like a total repudiation of his Israeli family."

Since then with work and family responsibilities they hadn't seen each other more than once every four or five years. She had always hoped that Aaron would return to visit for more than a week or so, but now she worried that that might never happen.

Ronit had never heard the story of how Ianto and Aaron had first met at the Brigadier's New Year's party. She thought they had first met when Ianto moved back to London to work for Torchwood One. She was surprised when Ianto told her how they communicated empathically at the party.

After a few more shots, Ianto found himself telling her about his rescue from the rubble of Canary Wharf, his move to Cardiff, even his brief relationship with Jack there.

"I had no idea. You and Jack seem perfectly comfortable with each other, and I thought he was nothing more than a boss who was just being helpful."

'_That's all he really is now. It was awkward when he first took charge of Torchwood One, but a lot of time has passed…and the anger has dissipated.'_

"And the desire?"

Ianto snorted. _'On my side, certainly. With Jack, well he finds just about anything with a heartbeat desirable.'_

"But what about that young man…Alonso?"

'_From what I can tell, they have a very open relationship…if you know what I mean.'_

Her next question surprised Ianto. "Is Alonso from the future as well?"

Ianto poured himself a last shot. _'Then you know about Jack.' She shrugged. 'Yeah he's from the future but only a hundred years or so.'_

"I thought that might be the case." Seeing the startled look on Ianto's face she continued, "Ianto, where do you think Aaron gets his empathic ability from? Mine was never as strong, and I have lost much of it through lack of practice, but some of Alonso's feelings are pretty easy to sense. Don't tell me you haven't…."

'_No, never. I didn't want to take a chance of finding something that would make me remember my time with Jack or to feel jealous of Alonso. He's a decent guy, and I have to work with him. Even if he has questionnable taste in men,' Ianto snickered. 'But how did you learn about Jack?'_

"I worked for UNIT, remember? And the Captain was working for Torchwood even back then." She sighed. "Bastard hasn't aged a day."

Ianto felt the hairs of his neck stand up. _'Oh gods, don't tell me…'_

"No, not that. But he tried to hit on me a few times. I was already engaged to Lloyd, so you can imagine how well they got along. I'm certain he doesn't remember me, so let's keep it that way, yes?"

Ianto nodded. _'That's just…so Jack.' _

"In a strange way, its nice to know that some things really never do change."

Days turned into weeks with no change in Aaron's condition. Owen returned to Cardiff after the first week but was in contact with Ianto daily. The Brigadier began to more strongly assert that he felt Aaron should be taken off of life support. Ronit was furious at The Brigadier and on her last day before she returned home the two of them had a shouting match of epic proportions. Ianto tried to intervene but retreated to Aaron's room as the anger between them got personal in nature. He texted Martha who came over and calmed them down, but he felt The Brigadier's recriminations deeply.

Rhiannon came down the following week so Ianto could have a little break from sitting all day at the hospital. Ianto told her what had happened between The Brigadier and Ronit.

'_She yelled that he never really loved Aaron and how could he want his son to die. Then he shouted back that keeping him alive was to feed the martyr complex that she, and apparently I have._' Ianto sighed. _'I don't know what to do Rhi. I can feel him in there. He doesn't feel mentally damaged, just trapped. Is it cruel to keep him alive this way?'_

Rhiannon had no answers for Ianto. All she could do was be there with him and support his decisions.

Weeks turned into two months then three. Ianto could sense that everyone was getting impatient with him. Even Owen had gently hinted that maybe it was time for him to reconsider his options.

He had taken a leave of absence from Torchwood and spent all day, every day, at Aaron's side. Most of the time it was just him at the hospital with Aaron. The Brigadier came by every Saturday afternoon, and by unspoken agreement, Ianto would leave the hospital at that point. They didn't interact anymore, Ianto knew The Brigadier was enraged at his decision to keep Aaron on life support and The Brigadier could hardly stand to be in the same room as him.

Jack stilled called Ianto almost every day and filled him in on the latest news from Torchwood. He also came by the hospital a couple of nights a week and took Ianto out to dinner. Jack became increasingly concerned as he saw Ianto grow thinner and the black circles under his eyes getting darker.

"Ianto, are you sleeping at all?"

'_Not much. When I fall asleep I start hearing him calling to me. And then I'll wake up in cold sweat and I can't fall back to sleep. I don't know if it's him, or I'm dreaming or I'm going completely insane.'_

"Ianto, do you think…" Jack started to speak.

'_Please don't say it Jack, he really is still there. Not just alive but he knows what's happening. _

"Ianto, are you sure you're not reading more into what you sense than is really there?"

'_When Aaron had his heart attack, I felt everything he felt...I can ignore his emotions if they are at a normal level, but I'm never completely disconnected from him. Even when he was far from London at the Commando Course, I could feel when he was straining himself. Not anything in detail, but the exhaustion and anything out of the ordinary comes through to me. And the sensations are at their strongest when I sleep.' _

'_So no, I don't think I'm exaggerating or imagining his emotions. You saw the increase in those wave patterns when I pushed out those questions. You were able to get a little reaction from him to your questions as well. No one else could. If the higher functions of Aaron's brain are gone how can that change that be explained?'_

"Ianto, I can tell that something is frightening you. More than just Aaron's condition. You are broadcasting pretty loudly, but I can't make sense of it. ..almost like you think you are going to die."

'_Jack, if I feel everything that he's experiencing so strongly, what will happen if he dies? I think my systems might shut down as well. And I'm not sure whether I'd be upset or not if that were to happen.'_

Jack was startled by Ianto's speculation. He wished he knew more about empathic pair bonding. There was nothing in the Torchwood archives on the topic and he could only dimly recall a few humanoid species that he had heard of having this capability.

He did recall something about pair bonds not being able to survive without each other. If that happened, he feared that The Brigadier wouldn't be able to handle it. The Brigadier was angry at Ianto at the present, but Jack knew that he loved Ianto almost as much as he loved Aaron. And Ronit, gods what would happen to her. Not to mention his family and his friends from Torchwood and... 'Ok, Jack finally admitted, what's really frightening me is that I don't think I can deal with it'.

Jack wasn't prepared to abandon Ianto, any more than Ianto was ready to give up on Aaron. Timelines be damned, he wasn't going to sit by helplessly and watch their deaths. There was something he could do, and nothing was going to stop him.

"I don't know much about these types of bonds, but I know someone who does. Its time to call in a favor from an old friend."

* * *

* translations: Who's a good dog? Sit. Speak.


	68. Gamble

**SUMMARY: **The gamble to save Aaron's life begins. This chapter is rated PG.

**_Title is from: Life is a gamble at terrible odds, if it were a bet, you would not take it. _****_Tom Stoppard _**

**Authors Notes**: A very short chapter, but I'll make it up to you. Maybe. If you're nice and leave comments. What do you think is going to happen next?

* * *

Jack wasn't surprised that the reaction to the plan to save Aaron was less than enthusiastic.

"I can't see how your helping is going to corrupt the timeline," Jack said.

"It's not the timelines that worry me, it's the possibility that we might end up killing Aaron. Is that a consequence you are willing to live with?"

"Is there any other way…can you think of any other possibilities?"

"Not really," he sighed. "Give me a little time to see what I can find out about pair bonds. I'll signal you when I'm ready to come to Earth."

As Jack waited, he discussed the idea he had with Owen and Martha. Both were extremely nervous about the proposed intervention and whether either Aaron and/or Ianto would survive. Martha fretted about the possibility of losing her medical license while Owen worried about Tosh's reaction if they failed.

"We're going way off the map here, Jack," Owen pointed out. "This is so beyond our understanding of medicine in the 21st century that I feel like you're asking me to perform surgery blindfolded."

"What really worries me," Martha added, "is that it may be a simple matter to remove the ventilator, but if what you are proposing doesn't work, Aaron will be dead before we'll be able to get him back on it. And if that happens, both Owen and I could at the very least lose our licenses, and there is a possibility of criminal charges being filed against us."

Initially they thought they might not tell Ianto how great the risks were with their plans, but in the end, they decided that the best course of action was to explain everything to Ianto and get his full and informed consent.

It took several more days of discussions for them to put the plan completely together. When they finally sat down with Ianto, they were surprised how willing he was to agree with it.

Owen reiterated, "Ianto are you sure you understand the risks involved? If something happens to either you or Aaron, we'll all be in serious trouble. I don't mind taking the risk with my license but I don't want to have you hate me if we can't save Aaron. And I can't risk Tosh's and the kids' futures with a criminal charge if things go tits up."

'_I see what you're saying. And if both of us die, I'm not sure a written informed consent will provide much protection. I think I should prepare a video tape explaining what we propose to do and why. And I do mean that it should be my tape with my texting out the plan. I want it clear that it was fully my decision so if something happens, you are all protected.'_

"Isn't that just going to lay us open to scrutiny even if things go well," Jack wondered.

'_Well we won't be telling anyone of its existence unless we need to.' _

A video was created with Ianto taking full responsibility for the medical intervention using future technology and the others stating their specific roles in the process. The video was sent to Tosh for safe keeping. They also decided that Gwen and Mickey shouldn't be told so as to protect the leadership of Torchwood Three from any accusations of collusion.

Ianto also insisted that neither his sister nor the Brigadier be informed. His sister would only be upset and the Brigadier might put a stop to their plans. He created separate videos for them as well as Ronit explaining on a more personal level why he was allowing this risky plan to be carried out and how he didn't want them to have any culpability if things went wrong. He expressed his love for them and his devotion to Aaron hoping that it would ease their pain a bit if the worst came to pass.

They put their plan into action late on a Sunday evening. Once the 11 PM shift change occurred and Aaron's vitals were recorded by the new charge nurse, the ICU was quiet and minimally staffed until the 8 AM shift arrived. They would have to work quickly since the moment they removed the ventilator Aaron's stats would change and the charge nurse monitoring everyone's vitals would soon notice this from the nursing station. Normally an alarm would sound but Jack had figured a way to disable it so there would be no audible signal that anything unusual was going on.

Since Owen worked for Torchwood which was theoretically above the law, he took the lead role of removing the ventilator. Martha's role was to monitor Ianto and make sure their intervention didn't result in his death. Jack would use his life force to bring back Aaron from his comatose state. Alonzo was present to supply muscle if anyone tried to enter the room.

Ianto and Martha waited patiently while the charge nurse checked Aaron's vitals a little after 11. Once she headed to back to the nursing station, Ianto went to a remote exit and signaled for the rest of the team to enter the hospital. Jack used his wristband to disable the CCTV units for a few minutes as they crept from the entrance to the ICU.

Owen ran through his mental checklist as he prepared to remove the ventilator. The tension in the room was palpable. Ianto was so nervous that his hands shook until Martha took them in her own. Alonso looked pale and a bead of sweat dripped down his face. Jack gave the signal and the gamble to save Aaron's life began. No one could predict what the payoff would be.


	69. Pay Off

**SUMMARY: **Aaron's life hangs in the balance. What will happen if the plans to help him don't work? This chapter is rated PG for language.  
****

**_Title is from: Sometimes life doesn't always pay off to those who are most insistent, Max Lerner_**

**_SO? ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE IDENTITY OF THE MYSTERY VISITOR?_**

* * *

The intervention to save Aaron's life began in total silence. Everyone knew what they had to do and they had practiced their routines extensively over the last several days.

Martha had Ianto sit in a reclining lounge chair that had been brought into the room weeks prior when Ianto had been staying overnight with Aaron. She attached her field monitors to Ianto so she could track any changes in his status. It wasn't ideal when compared to hospital equipment, but there was no way they could discretely move a second monitoring set up into Aaron's room. She inserted a peripheral IV line in case Ianto required fluids or pain relief over the course of the procedure. She also had syringes of sedatives and heart stimulating medicine if something more serious occurred with Ianto. When she finished her preparations, she had Ianto close his eyes and establish a link with Aaron. He nodded once when the connection was made.

Owen suctioned around Aaron's breathing tube in preparation for its removal. He checked Aaron's vitals for a final time and looked at Jack. Jack nodded to indicate his readiness. Owen quickly removed the endotracheal tube and looked to see if Aaron was breathing on his own. He wasn't. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Aaron's stats begin to deteriorate.

On the other side of the room, Ianto felt like his throat had been ripped out. He sat up and choked a bit; Martha eased him back into the chair. Jack began to breathe his life force into Aaron until both of them were practically glowing. Aaron's vitals improved a bit but not beyond where he was before he was extubated.

Ianto shook his head indicating that he wasn't getting any increased feedback from Aaron.

"We've got to go to our back-up plan, there's no way he's going to survive without it," Owen hissed. They all knew the risks involved but Owen glanced at Jack, Martha and Ianto to get their consent. They all nodded yes. He stepped out of the way so that John Hart could stand next to Aaron. Jack once again breathed his life force into Aaron. He quickly stepped away so John could breathe his entire supply of healing nanogenes into Aaron's airway.

Now all they could do was wait.

Nothing changed. Everyone except Ianto had their eyes glued to Aaron's monitors waiting for something to happen. Thirty minutes passed before they began to see any signs that something was going on in Aaron's body. Ianto began to twitch a little, but Aaron's vitals held steady. Suddenly Ianto's eyes opened and he sat up rapidly gasping for breath.

"He's seizing," Jack said.

"No, he's reacting the way you do when you come back to life," Owen observed. Owen saw that Aaron's vitals were improving just a bit. "John does it normally take this long to see any change?"

John was depleted from releasing his nanogenes and had sat down in a small chair facing Ianto on the opposite side of the recliner from Martha. With his elbows on his knees and his hands holding his head, John shrugged. "Can't really be certain, but I know I've been unconscious for several hours while the nanogenes did their repairs following a serious injury. And remember, they were calibrated for my physiology, so it'll take longer for them to reconfigure Aaron's damage."

Ianto was laying back in the chair once again twitching. John sat up and reached out a hand to Ianto's forehead to sense what Ianto was experiencing. Suddenly Ianto began to thrash around and tried to sit up. Martha tried to push him back into the chair but he was flailing wildly almost striking her. She and John could barely keep Ianto in the chair.

"Alonso, give me your belt…you too Owen," John commanded. They hesitated just a moment before they realized what John intended. John used the belts to secure Ianto's hand to the chair arms. This helped some, but Ianto was still thrashing, his legs kicking out randomly.

"Braces, Jack." Jack hesitated. "Now would be a good time before he kicks one of us in the face." Jack took off his braces and handed them to John who quickly knotted them together and secured Ianto's legs to the chair.

"Son of a bitch." In their efforts to secure Ianto, everyone but Owen had turned their attention away from Aaron. Owen was looking at the monitors his eyes wide. "He's coming back, I wouldn't have believed it, but there is definite improvement."

Martha came over to look. "He's right but there's still a long way to go."

Jack hadn't left Aaron's side. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but he thought Aaron's color looked a little better. The deathly pallor seemed to be fading.

John was having difficulty in getting images from Ianto. He had never tried to see secondary images; he didn't even know if it was possible. All he could feel was Ianto's helplessness to ward off the pain.

"Ianto, focus on Aaron. Do you feel him …" Ianto nodded. "Push out to me what you can."

John could feel Ianto to struggle to transfer out what he was picking up from Aaron. Then John sensed it. The softest whisper touched his mind. "Don't give up Ianto; I'm coming back…coming backcomingbackcomingback. Don't give up…" And he could hear Ianto's mind chanting over and over, 'Aaron I need you…don't leave me…keep fighting…I need youIneedyouIneedyou.'

Their voices were call and response, looping over and over like a glorious duet. It was so beautiful and heartbreaking; John couldn't help but tear up and smile all at the same time. 'So this is what they meant in those texts that said that true pair-bonds could literally make beautiful music together. I never would have imagined.'

"What...what's going on," Jack said seeing John smiling.

"Aaron's there. And he sounds quite sound mentally."

Martha burst into tears. Jack sniffled and wiped his eyes. Alonso startled everyone by turning away from the rest of them sobbing.

"Oi! That's enough, all of you" Owen hissed, as he wiped his own eyes. "Aaron's vitals are still far from normal so let's keep focused please. And let's keep in mind that we don't know what the end result will be."

Over several more hours they watched cycles of Aaron stabilizing followed by Ianto thrashing in pain followed by a positive jump in Aaron's readings. Ianto was obviously in great discomfort throughout the process but refused to take any pain relief.

'_Got to stay connected, can't afford to drift,'_ he pushed out to John. Alonso had come over to stand by Ianto wiping his face and giving him sips of water.

"This reminds me of my rotation in obstetrics," Martha snarked as she watched Ianto carefully.

John cocked his head and then barked out a laugh. He realized that everyone was staring at him. "Ianto just pushed out that giving birth to an almost 200 pound baby is a lot more than he bargaining for when he agreed to this."

An hour later Ianto's eyes came open and he looked at John who nodded and began to loosen his restraints. "He said Aaron's coming awake and he wants to be by his bed when he does." Martha quickly unhooked the small monitors from Ianto but left the peripheral line intact. "Just in case," she whispered to Ianto who nodded his agreement.

Ianto was exhausted and needed Alonso's and Martha's help to stand up. Owen signaled John that he needed his chair and Jack moved away from Aaron's bedside to assist John into the recliner. Owen moved the small chair next to Aaron and maneuvered Ianto into it. Martha was monitoring Aaron's vitals which were near normal. The nanogenes had not returned to John's body and it was 6:30 AM. It was a race against the clock now. Would Aaron come awake and would they be able to access his condition and cover their tracks before the new nursing shift came on?

Aaron's eyelids fluttered.

There was a loud knock at the door following by someone attempting to turn the handle. Alonso and Jack pushed against the door to keep it closed.

"Open up in there! We need to see Mr. Hamilton immediately." No one said a word.

"This is Colonel Danjerri, head of UNIT Medical London and if you don't open this door, I'll have my men out here shoot it open."


	70. Awakenings

**SUMMARY: **Aaron's waking up, but will UNIT ruin everything? And will Aaron be completely healed or will he have serious disabilities? This chapter is rated PG.  
****

**_Title is from: _****_How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state? Plato_**

_**Artwork is at artwork_avivb (dot) livejournal (dot) com.**  
_  
There was a knock on the door...

* * *

"This is Colonel Danjerri, head of UNIT Medical London and if you don't open this door, I'll have my men out here shoot it open."

Everyone in Aaron's room looked at each other in a panic. Jack moved next to the door.

"This is Captain Harkness from Torchwood, what seems to be the problem Colonel?"

"We are getting strange readings at the nursing station for Mr. Hamilton. I demand you give us access to the room."

"You're getting strange readings because Mr. Hamilton appears to be coming awake. Give us a moment and we'll let you enter."

While Jack had this brief exchange with the Colonel, Martha and Alonso had packed away the field monitors and stashed them in a closet. Ianto has pulled out the remote line, it bled a bit but Owen had quickly taped some gauze to staunch the flow. John Hart's nanogenes had not returned to his body but they couldn't keep the Colonel out any longer.

Jack opened the door, and took the Colonel into a big hug. "It's a miracle; your outstanding medical services have brought Mr. Hamilton back from the brink!"

The morning charge nurse followed in behind. He looked at Aaron who had his eyes open a bit and then the monitors in total bewilderment.

"I don't see how this could have happened."

"God works in mysterious ways," Owen answered. "And who are we to question the results?"

The Colonel and the charge nurse checked Aaron's vitals and saw that he was conscious and in remarkably good condition. The Colonel just knew that Torchwood had been up to something, but he also knew that this result would be very favorably received by his superiors as well as Brigadier Hamilton.

"Well, we do have fine facilities and with doctors like Jones here, sometimes we do get rather astonishing results," he said puffing his chest out a little. "But how did all these people get in here? There aren't supposed to be any visitors overnight except Mr. Jones."

'_That would be my fault.' _Ianto typed on his phone. _'When Dr. Jones and I saw a slight change in his vitals, I got a little over excited and called everyone.'_

"And I was in the middle of a late meeting with Dr. Harper and Mr. Frame and Captain Hart and they sort of tagged along," Jack added.

The Colonel frowned. He knew who Harper and Frame were but who the hell was Captain Hart?"

"You sir," he said pointing at Hart, "what's your role at Torchwood and why do you look more sickly than our patient?"

John Hart smiled weakly. "Oh, I'm a weapons consultant from the Pentagon. My flight was delayed which is why we ended up having such a late night session. Gods, this is the worst jet lag I've had in a long time."

Alonso started to snicker but quickly covered it with a cough.

"Well I want everyone except medical personnel out of this room immediately."

"We understand Colonel, can you just give us a few moments to say our goodbyes…in private." Jack stared at Danjerri just daring him to disagree.

"Fine, five minutes and not one minute more," he grumbled as he and the charge nurse left the room.

The door hadn't fully closed when John Hart moved over to Aaron and opened his mouth. A cloud of nanogenes moved from Aaron into John's open mouth.

"Much better," John smiled as he perked up a bit. "I do feel pretty knackered from all of this."

"Oi, all of you get out of here before Colonel Bluster comes back and gives us grief," Owen ordered. "I think he'll be OK with Martha, Ianto and me staying on. And grab that field equipment with you and get it out of here."

Jack turned to Owen, "I'll be heading back to my office, Alonso and John will be heading back to my home. Call me with updates and I'll pass them along. I think I'll also call The Brigadier. You know Danjerri's probably already on the phone with him. I don't want him to have any additional grievances against Ianto."

Aaron drifted in and out of wakefulness for several hours. Martha left so she could get some sleep but would be back in the evening bringing John with if necessary. The Brigadier and Stephen came to the hospital shortly after receiving calls from Danjerri and Jack. When they entered the room, Ianto moved to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" The Brigadier grumbled.

Ianto was exhausted physically and emotionally and he really didn't want to have a row with The Brigadier. He looked back at The Brigadier with his eyes pleading for understanding. 'Don't start, I don't have the strength for it,' he thought.

As the Brigadier approached Ianto, Ianto found himself backing away nervously. Before he could react the Brigadier grabbed Ianto and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry Ianto; I just didn't believe he'd recover. For Aaron's sake, can we make peace?"

'_Yes, and for our sakes too,' _Ianto typed. Ianto swayed with exhaustion as the Brigadier released his hold. Stephen caught him and helped to sit on the recliner.

"Why don't you catch a nap and we'll stay here with Dr. Harper and Aaron. If he becomes alert, we'll wake you up, OK?"

It was almost evening when Ianto finally woke up. The Brigadier and Stephen were looking at him smiling.

"You still snore, you know." Stephen snarked.

Ianto shook his head to focus his thoughts.

"Aaron's still in and out, but started mumbling a little while ago. I'm sure his first words will be for you so we don't want to intrude," the Brigadier said. He turned to Owen. "Call us if anything changes. Otherwise we'll be back tomorrow morning. Is that Ok Ianto?"

Ianto nodded and yawned and promptly closed his eyes again. He could hear the Brigadier, Stephen and Owen speaking but he just wanted to close his eyes and focus on Aaron. Ianto could sense that Aaron was sleeping peacefully and promptly joined him in slumber.

Sometime later, Ianto felt someone shaking him. This time it was Owen.

"Ianto, he seems to becoming out of the sleep/wake cycle very slowly. Why don't you get up and grab a shower. Martha just got here and she went to get you something to eat. Jack stopped by your house and brought some clean clothes over for you, so I suggest you get moving unless you want to frighten Martha."

Ianto snorted but immediately began to strip out of his clothes. Owen was watching him closely making Ianto very self-conscious.

"Yeah, I'm checking you out…you're getting very thin again…make sure you eat. Aaron's still got a long road back and he's going to need you in top form to help him."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "I'm not kidding Ianto, you remember how tough your rehab was, well Aaron's going to be facing similar challenges. So start taking care of yourself. Jack or Alonso will be here in the morning and you're going home then. Doctor's orders.

As Ianto stepped into the tiny shower Owen added, "Once Martha's back, I'm out of here so move it will ya."

Ianto quickly cleaned up as best he could. He couldn't shave or really wash his hair, but the shower felt wonderful and helped to wake him up. He dried off quickly and began to get into the clothes Jack had brought over. Ianto smiled as he saw that between the jeans and Rugby shirt Jack had stuffed a pair of boxers that Aaron had bought Ianto for his birthday the year before. 'Figures, Jack would pick the ones with 'B is for big' written on them.'

Just as he was bagging up his dirty clothes he heard a knock on the door. "You decent?" Owen asked. Ianto stepped out of the shower area dressed except for socks and nodded. Owen let Martha in and updated her on Aaron's condition, as she put a tray of food down on a small cart. Owen gave her and Ianto a quick hug and headed out the door.

"Oi, give me that bag, I might as well take it since I'm staying at your house. Do you need me to tell your neighbor anything?"

'_No, I'll text her and let her know that I'll be home in the morning.'_

Martha pulled up a chair next to Ianto. _'You know, it's a little hard to eat with you watching me.'_

"Ok, but once you're done, I want to take your blood pressure, listen to your heart and get some blood from you. And don't you roll your eyes at me; the supreme irony would be for Aaron to wake up perfectly fine and you to be the one who's sick."

Just as Martha was finishing examining Ianto they heard Aaron groan. They turned to find Aaron's eyes open and struggling to sit up. Martha gently held him back on the bed.

'_Martha, I think it will be easier if I push my thoughts out to him. I'll let you know what he says.' _Martha nodded.

'Aaron, do you hear me?'

"Where am I?" Aaron said out loud.

'You're in the hospital. You had a heart attack and a stroke. Do you understand?'

"Yeah, I feel like I slept forever. And I had the strangest dreams. I felt like I was floating in darkness and I could hear you telling me to stay with you. I tried to find you, but I j..j..just kept stumbling around in the dark. Then," Aaron chuckled, "J..J..Jack Harkness and another man were there and they were snogging me. It felt wonderful but I couldn't understand why you weren't kissing me as well."

Ianto leaned over Aaron and kissed him lightly on the mouth. 'That's because I was waiting until you woke up to kiss you.'

Aaron's eyes were closing again. "Will you stay here until I fall asleep?"

Ianto took Aaron's hand and rubbed it against his cheek. 'Of course.'

Ianto sat holding Aaron's hand long after Aaron had drifted back to sleep. Martha saw that Ianto was nodding off, his head coming close several times to hitting the side rail on Aaron's bed. She roused Ianto long enough to have him help her to move the recliner next to the bed so Ianto could sleep as well.

She smiled to herself as she watched the two men sleep. Their breathing, even their snores were synchronized. 'Figures, John Hart gets to hear beautiful music and I get the foghorn symphony. Still at least he's alive. I just hope that Ianto's prepared for what testing will show. There's bound to be some permanent damage…could tell that from the stutter, but who knows what else has been compromised. Time will tell.'


	71. Surprise

**SUMMARY: **The permanent effects of Aaron 's illness and healing begin to show. How serious are they and will these effect Ianto and Aaron's relationship? This chapter is rated R for sexual situations  
****

**_Title is from: _****_Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us._****_Boris Pasternak_**_**  
**__**  
**_  
The speed of Aaron's recovery startled even Owen. Within a week of his waking up, he was able to walk and dress and feed himself. Aaron's speech was largely unaffected except for the slight stutter occasionally on words that started with the letter j. Within a month, he was back at home but going to therapy daily. Owen forbid Aaron to drive for at least another four weeks, so Ianto dropped him off at the hospital in the mornings and either the Brigadier or Stephen would pick him up and keep him company during the day.

* * *

Ianto was thrilled that Aaron was home. And Shayna stayed glued to Aaron's side for several weeks. The first few times Ianto went to drive him to physical therapy, Shayna blocked Aaron from leaving the house. Ianto sighed and decided it was easier just to let Shayna go with Aaron to the sessions than to leave her barking and crying in the house.

As life gradually return to something approaching normal, the more subtle results of the heart attack and stroke became apparent.

Aaron was always thoughtful and deliberate but anyone who knew him could tell that his ability to process information was a bit impaired. He would lose his train of thought or become unable to remember a particular word at times.

'_He gets so frustrated when he can't remember,'_ Ianto texted to Owen. '_He knows what he wants to say, but can't always find the right word. That happens to everyone from time to time, but it happens at least once a day now.'_

"That's not that unusual in stroke patients. Sometimes it's a real loss of information, but many times it's a loss of concentration or focus. There are some software packages designed to stimulate and focus the 'aging' brain; I'll get you a list of some of them."

Ianto snorted. 'J_ust so long as they don't say anything about aging on the packages. I'm still convinced that this was due to Aaron not wanting to admit that he was getting older. He's more likely to acknowledge his limitations as being caused by the stroke, than just natural aging. It gives him an out that he can accept_.'

"Like father, like son," Owen pointed out. "Have you noticed how much the Brigadier's hearing has diminished? I mentioned something to him about it and do you know what he said? 'My doctor says I hear just fine for someone in their mid-seventies.' What that means is that his hearing is piss poor. But try telling him that."

Ianto smiled. '_Yeah, they are both pretty stubborn. But that brings up something else I'm a little concerned about. His emotional highs and lows are more pronounced now. He laughs more now, sometimes at inappropriate times, and he gets upset far more easily. And not just about his mental functioning. He much moodier about everything. He's always had such an even temperament; it's a little startling to see him get really upset over something that wouldn't have fazed him before_.'

Owen was concerned about exactly what Ianto was saying. He knew that sometimes stroke sufferers became combative both physically and verbally. "He's not getting physical with you or threatening you, is he?"

'_No, nothing like that. But he is more irritable. Shayna had an accident in the house the other day. It happens. She's an old dog now and the last months have been as stressful on her as they've been on any everyone else. Aaron started scolding her, and she looked so dejected. When I pointed this out to him, he looked furious and walked away to his study slamming the door. I went to confront him, and found him crying, saying that he was a terrible person. I just don't know what to do.'_

Owen arranged for a psychiatric evaluation and with some cajoling, Aaron agreed go. Both Aaron and Ianto were relieved to discover that Aaron's mood swings could be treated with a small dose of mood stabilizers.

About two weeks into treatment, Ianto called Owen with the good news. _'Yeah, he seems a lot more like his old self now. Still a little more sensitive, but nothing alarming. The other night we both were woken up by a bad storm to find Shayna sleeping between us. She's supposed to stay at the end of the bed. Aaron just laughed and told her that she could stay as long as she didn't snore.'_Cause that would be a real problem given how quiet you both are when you sleep," Owen snarked.

"

There was one other change that Ianto never told anyone about. Owen had cautioned them about avoiding overly strenuous sexual activity for a while once Aaron came home. Aaron had remained a gentle lover all their time together so Ianto wasn't too worried about this. Still, they restricted their activities the first few weeks as a precaution.

One night while lying in bed together kissing, Aaron pushed out, 'so you think we can have sex without me dropping dead?'

'You are such a romantic,' Ianto pushed back. He figured they should be alright as long as he did most of the work. But as soon as he agreed, Aaron pinned him down on the bed and began to kiss and lick and nip Ianto's body.

'Got to have you now,' Aaron growled. Ianto closed his eyes and felt his connection to Aaron intensify. He could feel how much Aaron wanted him and relaxed into Aaron's touch. But something felt different to Ianto. Not just that Aaron was being more aggressive than usual. After all it had been months since they had been intimate and Ianto was just as excited as Aaron. Everything about Aaron felt more intense. His kisses were more demanding; his touch a little rougher, his teeth - he almost never used his teeth. Now…well…

Aaron still prepared Ianto thoroughly and gently entered him. But instead of the slow burning sex that Ianto was used to, Aaron pushed Ianto's legs up around his waist and began to thrust aggressively. Ianto thought Aaron would come very quickly but to his surprise he came far sooner than Aaron. Aaron continued on until Ianto became hard for a second time.

'You're mine,' Aaron thought as we moved his teeth around Ianto's left nipple. Ianto was arching up toward Aaron in total ecstasy. 'You like this don't you.' Ianto pushed out his agreement. Ianto could feel himself approaching orgasm. Aaron moved one of Ianto's legs up over his shoulder. The thrusts were at exactly the right angle driving Ianto up to the edge.

'Duw, I can't hold out Aaron.'

'Let it go Ianto, scream for me.'

Ianto came again his mind crying out Aaron's name as he contracted rhythmically around Aaron's cock. Aaron groaned and came moaning, 'Ianto, sweetheart, eye candy, sweetheart.'

As they lay side by side, Ianto suddenly realized what had happened. 'Aaron, did you call me Eye Candy?'

Aaron looked at Ianto a little confused. 'Yeah, I did. I j.j.j..just can't imagine where I got that from.'

'Oh I can,' Ianto pushed out. 'It's John Hart's name for me.'

"Where would I have heard him say it?"

Ianto laughed. 'You didn't, but I'm guessing that when the nanogenes healed you, they remade your physical and emotional make-up to resemble Hart's not your own.'

"Do you think I'll be able to do some of the fancy things he could do with his dick?" Aaron asked.

'Don't be daft, those are surgical modifications. But I think you did get his libido, god help us.'

Aaron laughed. "I have to say, I knew I was getting a bit carried away there; you're not upset about it are you?"

'Hell no,' Ianto replied. 'Up for another round?' Ianto peeked under the sheets. 'My goodness Aaron,' he thought, 'you certainly appear to be." Laughing he pushed Aaron flat on the bed.

* * *

**SURPRISE! BET YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT. JUST A REMINDER THAT COMMENTS MAKE THE PLOT BUNNIES HOP FASTER!**


	72. Attitude

**SUMMARY: **A new side effect of Aaron's illness is driving Ianto crazy. Will this spell doom for their relationship? This chapter is rated PG.  
****

**_Title is from: _****_Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same. ~Francesca Reigler_**

* * *

"I'm retiring from the Marines. If you quit Torchwood we could travel the world together."

Aaron came out with this startling statement about six months after he came home from the hospital. Ianto could appreciate Aaron's desire to retire from the Marines. Given the seriousness of his recent heart attack and stroke, there was no chance that he would be allowed to continue to field train new recruits. And that was Aaron's passion, taking young raw recruits and molding them into strong efficient Marines. Not to mention kicking their arses on the Commando Course.

About a week before he was to return to duty Aaron was called into his Commanding Officer's office in London and was informed that he was being reassigned to classroom teaching. He understood the decision, but the thought of standing in a classroom day in and day out, teaching the History of the Marines course was depressing. They weren't even assigning him to weapons training. No he'd be consigned to teaching the course that was the least engaging and important to training a Marine. The course was generally assigned to doddering elderly officers well past their prime. In prestige, it ranked below even the basic math and English language course

So while Ianto supported Aaron's decision, it was the expectation that Ianto would quit his job that astonished him.

'_Aaron, I just can't walk out on Torchwood, especially when Jack made saving your life a top priority. He practically shut down operations while you were in the hospital.'_

Aaron mumbled under his breath and went into his study. Ianto sighed. This was another change in Aaron's personality that had appeared only recently. While spontaneity was nice, Aaron would come up with crazy ideas and want Ianto to just agree with them. Two weeks before Aaron had wanted to buy a cottage on an island off the coast of Scotland. The month before that, he wanted to buy some land and open an animal sanctuary for disabled horses.

Aaron didn't seem to feel that his lack of knowledge about horses would any barrier to running a successful sanctuary.

'_Aaron, how many pounds of grain would you feed each horse,_' Ianto asked_._ Aaron didn't know.

'_How much land would we need to buy to keep let's say 25 horses?'_ Aarons reply was "don't know."

And when Ianto gently pointed out that opening a horse sanctuary without at least a rudimentary understanding about horses was a recipe for disaster, Aaron didn't argue. He just mumbled under his breath and went into his study.

'Duw,' Ianto thought, 'if he's at loose ends now, its only going to get worse when he retires.'

The more Ianto thought about it, the more he was afraid that a bored and unhappy Aaron could spell real trouble for their relationship. Ianto didn't mind that Aaron would be around all the time, that change was welcome. But Ianto was fearful that Aaron would concoct even more outlandish ideas if he had too much time on his hands.

Later that week at work, the topic came up as he ate lunch with Jack and Alonso. Jack had inquired about Aaron's health and all Ianto could do was laugh.

"Is something wrong?"

'_Jack, honestly I just don't know. He's had some personality changes, they really aren't any big deal, but it's hard to get used to them.'_

"Like what?" Alonso inquired. After Ianto explained, he was surprised at Alonso's insightful response. "You know, it's almost like you woke up one morning and your spouse has been replaced by a shape-shifter. You really have to get used to a different person now…that's got to be hard."

"I don't know if I should say this," Jack said, "but he sounds like he might have picked up a bit of John Hart's craziness for unrealistic plans and impossible ideas. This could be an artifact from John Hart's nanogenes."

Ianto shook his head in disbelief_ 'Oh come on now…' _Ianto started to say.

"No really, when I first met Hart he had all these wild plans. After he had some money saved he was going to start a Lansamanian worm farm on Jinitorus. The worms produced a fiber so durable that anything made out of it was practically indestructible. Took a huge investment to start a farm but you could make it back several times over in a year if you knew what you were doing. But like Aaron, John didn't know a thing about worm farming, figured it couldn't be that hard and he could just wing it. Luckily, he always spent money faster than he earned it, so he was never going to have the money to get started. And he did dream about buying a small planet and starting his own colony there. Fortunately he grew out of it."

'_Aaron's 55, by the time he grows out of it, we'll both be dead. Either from old age, or because we kill each other in frustration.'_

Alonso snorted. "So I have to ask, did Aaron inherit any other characteristics from John?"

Ianto turned bright red. "Yeah? Come on tell us about it," Jack begged.

'_Nothing to tell._ _Got to go, see you later,' _Ianto said abruptly ending the conversation and walking away.

After Ianto was out of ear range, Jack and Alonso laughed about the changes to Aaron.

"Well at least Ianto's found one improvement in Aaron."

"Alonso, that's really rude. Aaron doesn't impress me as someone who would be a loser in bed. He's way too competitive."

"Yeah, but compared to John Hart? He even gives you a run for the money."

'Ouch,' Jack thought. "You slept with John Hart?" Alonso didn't have to be a genius to see that Jack didn't like this at all.

"Hey remember flyboy, we said no strings attached. You didn't want to change that agreement did you?"

Jack sighed. "No, I guess not, but did you have to sleep with John?"

"Why, afraid of the competition?"

"No way," Jack blustered, "he's nowhere in my league."

"You think? I guess you'll have to prove that out tonight, won't you."

Jack smiled. "I'll give you a full test drive tonight, Tiger Pants."

Alonso made a growling noise under his breath. "We'll see."

Despite his joking with Alonso, Jack was worried about Ianto and Aaron. When he remembered how infuriating John Hart could be when he got focused on some daft idea, he hated the thought that Ianto was going to have to deal with more uncontrollable problems in his life. It occurred to him that this was much like the problem he faced when Ianto first came to Cardiff. There had to be some way to keep Aaron busy and focused on something practical so that he wouldn't feel useless and Ianto wouldn't be driven to insanity by a middle-aged man with childish fantasies.

Jack was also concerned about Alonso. He actually didn't care if Alonso had other lovers (but John Hart, why him of all people) but he could sense that Alonso was getting bored with early 21st century Earth life. But short of The Doctor making another appearance, Alonso was pretty well stuck here on this 'backwater nothing of a planet' as Alonso so fondly called Earth.

The answer to Jack's first concern came to him quite by accident. During another meeting with UNIT officers they spoke of the on-going tensions between the joint Torchwood-UNIT teams. While Torchwood clearly had the authority, UNIT personnel were still often suspicious and resentful of Torchwood's superior status.

Brigadier Morrison was the youngest officer present at the meeting and appeared to believe in the value of the joint teams far more than some of the other officers.

"You know, if we could get a UNIT and Torchwood trainer to travel together to the field locations and assess and resolve issues within the teams, that would go a long way toward improving the performance, not to mention the camaraderie of the teams."

A rather unique solution occurred to Jack. "What would you think about a team made up of a Torchwood officer and a British military officer?" he asked.

Slowly it dawned on the UNIT brass what Jack was proposing.

"You're speaking of Lt. Colonel Hamilton and Director Jones, aren't you?"

Jack nodded.

The most senior officer attending, General Chatterjee spoke up immediately. "I think that's a splendid idea. A capital idea. But what about Hamilton's commitment to the Royal Marines?

Without revealing anything about Aaron's continuing medical issues Jack told them that Ianto had mentioned that Aaron was retiring at the end of the year.

"I'm not surprised. Heard he was being reassigned to classroom duty. I can't imagine him being happy doing that. And he has an outstanding reputation as a field trainer."

Of course, once Chatterjee weighed in, everyone else from UNIT agreed. Jack smiled to himself. It didn't hurt that the General was still very close friends with Brigadier Hamilton and would be open to helping the son of a friend out, even if it meant bending the rules a little.

Now all Jack had to do was convince Ianto and Aaron that it was a good idea. 'I think I'll propose they visit the Israeli team first. That should work nicely with Ianto's concern that they visit Ronit in the next few months. Then perhaps they'd like to take a year or so and see the Americas. He knew that both Aaron and Ianto were interested in ancient American civilizations, so a trip to work with the teams in Peru and Ecuador (and a stop to see the Incan site at Machu Picchu), perhaps a swing through Mexico, especially that new team near Cancun (and so close to some nice Mayan ruins) and perhaps a visit to the Roswell, NM team with a little free time to see some Anasazi sites in the Four Corners region.

"Oh yeah, I don't think this will be too hard at all."


	73. Travel

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and Aaron agree to Jack's offer. Big fun ensues along with a little work. This chapter is rated PG.

**_Title is from: _****_Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~Seneca_**

_**A/N: A short fun chapter before we get back serious business. Picutres may be found at http:/ artwork_aviv. livejournal. com. There's a picture of the coolest orchid you've ever seen (trust me) along with an adorable llama. And Aaron's best shot of Machu Picchu**_

* * *

A/N: A short fun chapter before we get back to more serious stuff. Posting may be slower over the next week or two - with Passover starting Monday night (yes its at my house) and a story for DARK_FEST due in a little more than a week (which I haven't even started) I may not get a chance to post until next weekend. In the meantime I hope you enjoy this little travelogue.

A/N: Though Shayna actually is a former Israeli bomb-detecting dog, she clearly isn't functioning in that role here. So for Ianto and Aaron to try to pass her off as such is not a practice that anyone should be emulating. Please remember that real people with real disabilities need service animals to help them. And when someone tries to pass their pet off as a disability assistance animal, they make it more difficult for those who legitimately need these animals to be taken seriously.

Looking back, Ianto would always remember 2024 and 2025 as two of the best years he and Aaron spent together. Armed with a new sense of purpose, Aaron let his more extreme ideas fall to the wayside, allowing him and Ianto to give their full attention to getting the joint Unit-Torchwood Teams to function smoothly. It wasn't always easy, both groups tended to be territorial and smart and aggressive. But with Aaron's training skills and Ianto's diplomatic skills they were able to work through a lot of the distrust between the two groups.

And best of all, Jack had clearly set up their schedule to allow for plenty of down time. In Israel they had almost every evening and weekend free to visit with Ronit and Aaron's extended family.

In the Americas the schedule allowed for long weekends to travel to archeological sites and additional time to explore the natural wonders of North and Central America. Ianto hadn't thought it possible but their empathic bond became even stronger, allowing them to move through days in complete connection with each other.

Ianto was concerned that the travel would be very stressful for Shayna, but she seemed rejuvenated along with Aaron and she loved being with them all day most of the time. She did have to travel as a 'service dog' but with Ianto's inability to speak, nobody questioned her status.

There were several occasions where they were forced to leave Shayna behind including the two days they spent at the ruins of Machu Picchu. She had immediately won over the hotel staff when they checked in so she spent that time 'helping out' at the reception desk. Aaron demonstrated a few hand signals to the employees and by the time they came back she was responding to their commands in Spanish as long as the hand signals were used. She took her job of helping the porters take the guests to their little bungalows very seriously, not relinquishing the keys to visitors until she got her payment (a treat).

"That's a very clever dog," one of the hotel guests commented at the reception area.

"She's really Ianto's service dog," Aaron lied, "but they still won't let her onto the site. Makes sense really, and given her age she would probably have some trouble going up and down all the stairways."

Ianto thanked the staff via his Spanish language voice software and they returned to their room. As they sat on the bed with Shayna looking at their pictures on their laptop, Ianto leaned over and kissed Aaron on the cheek.

'_I can't believe you lied to those tourists.'_

"Well imagine if I told them the truth. 'Our dog is a former Israeli bomb-detecting dog and we get to keep her with us because we work for a secret international agency that deals with aliens.' I'm sure that would be believable."

'_You have a point_,' Ianto admitted.

"And I think we both know that there is no way we would have agreed to this trip if Torchwood and Unit hadn't agreed to authorize service dog papers for her so we could bring her. So best just to stick with the cover story. Right, Stinker?"

Shayna thumped her tail in agreement.

They had taken a walk around the property looking at the many species of orchids the evening before but as they reviewed the pictures neither of them could remember a single name.

"Do we really care? I mean I could look them up on the computer, but really isn't pink orchid, yellow orchid, white orchid good enough?" Ianto nodded in agreement. Unless they were giving a presentation to the London Horticultural Society, no one would be interested. They moved on to the next set of pictures.

'_Oh, you got the classic full site shot,' _Ianto teased, pointing at the next picture on their laptop.

"It's mandatory. They won't let you take the train back unless you have at least one of these."

_'Uh, Aaron, you have about eight,'_ Ianto pointed out.

"I'm not going to keep them all, j. look at them a little more closely at home and pick out the best one or two to keep."

'Thank goodness,' thought Ianto. He squinted at the images trying to tell if there were any significant differences between the seemingly identical shots.

"Oi, I heard that!" Aaron had a devious thought. "You know I was thinking…maybe we could start a llama farm when we get back to the UK.

They make great grass trimmers don't they? Wouldn't that be fun?"

Ianto's attention immediately focused on Aaron. He had a look of concern layered over disbelief on his face.

"Got ya," Aaron snarked. "You thought I'd gone bonkers again."

**WHAM!** Ianto smacked Aaron across the head with a pillow.

"Wanna play rough do you," Aaron laughed as he swung a pillow back at Ianto.

Shayna danced around the bed in excitement as the two of them continued to pummel each other with pillows. Eventually, they both tired and fell back on the bed hugging each other.

'Duw, have I told you today that I love you,' Ianto pushed out.

"No, and I've been feeling quite insecure about it," Aaron laughed.

'Well I do,' Ianto thought kissing Aaron gently. 'Even if you make me crazy sometimes.'

Aaron and Ianto sighed in unison. Not to be left out, Shayna yawned loudly.

"Ok we can take a hint. We've all had a big day today, including you Miss Shayna. Helping all those tourists find their rooms and eating all those treats was a lot of work wasn't it." Shayna yawned again.

Within ten minutes Aaron and Ianto were asleep in each others arms. Shayna watched them both for a few minutes until she was satisfied that they were both OK. She fell asleep a few minutes later.


	74. Results

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and Aaron come back to London to find some startling changes have taken place. This chapter is rated PG for a few sexual references

**_Title is from: _**_**I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. **_**_Michael Jordan_**

* * *

When they finally returned to London in early 2026, Ianto and Aaron knew that their work had moved the people of Earth a long way towards being ready for the changes that were coming very soon. For once, both UNIT and Torchwood seemed to be working in sync with very little discord.

Ianto and Aaron discovered that three monumental changes had occurred while they had been away from London. Dr. Martin's team had had some success with the 'rift return project' and they were now starting to send visitors back through the rift. The biggest hurdle had been how to track whether the return trips were sending the aliens back to the right vectors on the time/space continuum.

The Doctor as well as John Hart traveled to the same coordinates as those where the aliens were sent and verified that the coordinates were accurate 85% of the time. Naturally, it could be disastrous for the 15% who ended in the wrong time or wrong place or both, but the Torchwood research teams were confident they could refine the technology to upwards of 95%.

Of course this didn't solve the problem of what to do with aliens when they didn't know where and when they came from, but they were developing a second program that plotted time/space trajectories of aliens that came through the rift. The program was only about 70% accurate but Tosh and her team were working furiously to refine the calculations and improve the outcomes.

The second change was a shock to both of them. Alonso Frame was gone. Bored with 21st Century Earth he had taken the opportunity to hitch a ride on John Hart's vortex manipulator into the far future and had gone to work for the Time Agency. Jack was alone once again and the Doctor was not happy about this development. But the Doctor reckoned that at least working for the Time Agency would keep Alonso from corrupting any timelines. Both Aaron and Ianto were upset to see how lonely Jack's existence had become. He wasn't even out trying to find anyone new either for a quick shag or something more lasting.

The third change also involved a personal relationship. It turned out Stephen was also at loose ends as Becca, his live-in partner of six years had left him several months earlier. He seemed to be holding up well enough but they worried that if Stephen got depressed he might revert to drinking.

"You know, we could start a weekly poker game," Aaron suggested.

'_How about dinner and poker?' _Ianto added. '_Should help a little, maybe keep them from being so lonely.'_

And so the weekly Hamilton-Jones spaghetti and poker night began. Schedules permitting, they'd meet around 7 PM, have a quick dinner and play poker for a couple of hours. They'd argue about politics, and talk about sports (well Ianto and Stephen did) and gossip about UNIT's activities. Jack, of course, could always be counted on to supply an outrageous story or two.

"I remember one time; I was on a space station just beyond Europa and was introduced to this gorgeous female alien with three eyes and three legs and three…."

'_Jack, please,' _Ianto interjected_, 'we're eating dinner here. No stories involving alien private parts.'_

"When did you get to be such a prude?" Jack teased.

Aaron laughed, "It's me actually. I'm just not at all interested in female alien private parts." Aaron waited just a moment and then continued, "But if you have some good tentacle stories, I'd be up for that."

Stephen chocked a bit on his spaghetti and Jack had to hit him on the back several times clear his airway. "Aaron, when did you get to be so raunchy? I don't ever remember you ever making an off-color remark," Stephen noted.

"It's all Ianto and J.'s fault. They've been a very bad influence on me."

'_Not to mention John Hart,'_ Ianto added.

While the years following right after Aaron and Ianto's return to London were largely happy, there were moments of sadness as well. Less than a year after their return, Shayna's health took a turn for the worse. Her arthritis became so severe that walking became painful. She couldn't go up steps anymore so Ianto or Aaron had to carry her up every night to their bedroom on the second floor. They were able to keep her comfortable for a while with increased acupuncture and NASIDs, but she was having more bad days than good.

By May of 2027, Ianto felt it was time to consider putting her to sleep. Aaron resisted at first, but came to the same conclusion by July. On a bright sunny morning they took her for a last walk, fed her some roast beef they had bought as a special treat the day before and waited for the vet to arrive. Aaron sat with Shayna's head in his lap while Ianto stroked her body as the vet gave her the injections. She stared straight up at Aaron's face as he spoke to her softly in Hebrew telling her what a good dog she was and how much he loved her. Finally her eyes closed, she took a hiccupping breath and died. Both Aaron and Ianto cried and the vet cried right along with them. They had adopted Shayna when she was four years old and she had been with them just past her sixteenth birthday.

'_It is almost like losing a child_,' Ianto told Jack a few weeks later. _'She was with us for more than half our time together, so coming home to a house without a wagging tail to greet us feels very wrong.'_

Jack was surprised that Ianto and Aaron weren't planning on getting another dog.

_'Aaron just turned sixty and I'll be forty-four in August. Aaron's afraid that he's getting too old to get up early and walk a dog and I am just not a morning person.'_

Jack laughed. "Well some things really don't change."

'_Yeah, we are thinking about another pet, one that doesn't require as much exercise, particularly early morning outdoor exercise. We've considered a cat or a rabbit but Aaron just isn't ready yet.'_

Ianto had always wondered if Jack had ever had a companion animal. This seemed like as good a time as any to ask.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh," Jack warned him.

Ianto promised.

"Before our planet was invaded I had a pet pig named Petri."

Ianto snorted.

"Yeah go ahead and snort, I knew you would. Pigs are actually very intelligent and clean animals. Very social and good natured too. Petri knew as many commands as most dogs and she was a great companion. She was killed when the invasion happened, and I just never wanted to get emotionally attached to a pet again. I lost my brother and my father that day as well, and it probably sounds odd, but I think I've missed Petri as much over the years as I've missed my Father and Gray."

Ianto nodded his understanding. It explained a lot actually. If Jack was still hurting over a pet lost long-ago, he could see where the thought of losing another loved one would be unbearable for him. It probably went a long way in explaining why Jack never wanted to get too involved with any of his lovers or get overly attached.

When he later told Aaron about his conversation with Jack, Aaron was noticeably upset. Not to mention surprised by Aaron's declaration.

"We've got to be better friends to J.. Spend more time with him. Make sure he has people to be with on holidays. He saved both of us, and it's just a small act of kindness to make sure he's not lonely."

Ianto agreed that Aaron was right, and so they did.

Not long after, the Brigadier who was almost eighty suffered several serious falls and ended up confined to a wheelchair. He refused to move out of his home, so Aaron and Stephen had hired full time live-in help to care for him. He was so difficult to deal with that the help turned over every few months. Finally, Stephen decided that he would move back into the family home and supervise the Brigadier's care. After much initial grumbling from the Brigadier, things finally settled down to where there wasn't a crisis every other day at his house.

"I can't believe you moved back in with him," Aaron said at their weekly poker game. "Are to you trying to get a medal or nominated for sainthood? Or are you just trying to make me look like the bad son."

"Well you are the bad son," Stephen quipped. "I remember when you first came to live with us; Father was terrified that you would be such a bad influence. And Mother thought Bryan and I would both become gay because of you."

Aaron laughed. "And look how well that worked out."

Jack snorted. "I'm always amazed that people still believe that. You'd think by the middle of the 21st century this planet would be a little more evolved."

'_I figure by the time we get to the 22__nd__ century people are going to be bombarded with information about alien cultures and they won't worry so much about human behavior anymore,' _Ianto said.

'No,' Jack thought. 'That won't happen to the middle of the 23rd century, unfortunately. They'll be small periods of tolerance followed by longer periods of fearful clinging to outdated beliefs and behaviors.'

"You'll get there eventually, but not without some turmoil," Jack said out loud. "And that's all I'm saying."

'_Hey, speaking of turmoil has anyone heard anything from Bryan,' _Ianto asked.

"Yeah, Father got a card from him around Christmas. He's on his fourth wife and has, I think, twelve children total. Still living in Australia in a caravan. And in deference to his and my mother, all I can say is thank goodness Aaron wasn't a bad influence on him."

Aaron snorted. "Yeah, I did my best, but it j. didn't work. Particularly the part about using protection." Everyone laughed.

"You know, you're the only one of us who has been in a stable long-term relationship," Stephen pointed out to Aaron.

'_Two actually,' _Ianto corrected_. 'Almost fifteen years with Geoffrey and more than twenty years for us.'_

"Well it's certainly the Hamilton side of the family that's the problem," Aaron pointed out. "Mother was remarried for almost thirty years when her husband Giora died a few years ago. And Tamara got married a bit late, but she's been married for, what, I think about fifteen years. Only my oldest step sister Rachel never married. She never was very interested in being in a relationship. Not sure why, but she seems to be happy enough with her full professorship in aeronautics at Tel Aviv University."

"So one more hand, or should we call it a night?" Jack asked.

"Bit tired, actually," Stephen replied. "Taking care of Father while my irresponsible brother has a real life is very tiring."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Stephen, if it's too much…"

"Oh stop it; I'm just having some fun with you. He has round the clock caregivers, so I'm just there to run interference if there's a problem or someone doesn't show up. That old house of his is so big that I could go days with not seeing him if I chose. My computer consulting work keeps me pretty busy and it's actually easier to live with Father. Hell, free laundry service, meals cooked, its almost as good as being married but without the hassle."

"But also without the sex," Jack pointed out.

"Well there is that. But one of the nurses is quite cute…"

'_Stop. This is getting way too Upstairs/Downstairs for me. Not to be rude, but it's almost midnight and some of us have to work tomorrow. And I have just the meanest boss who won't like it if I'm not on time.'_

"Oi. I'm a very nice boss," Jack protested.

'Yes you are_,'_ Aaron replied as he and Ianto both hugged Jack.

Stephen smiled to himself. 'I never thought I'd see the day when the three of them would be friends. Really good friends.'

'The best of friends,' Ianto and Aaron thought.


	75. Silver Anniversary

**SUMMARY: **It's been 25 years since the Battle at Canary Wharf. Ianto and Aaron reflect on the changes they've seen. This chapter is rated PG.

**_Title is from: _****_Most modern calendars mar the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the anniversary of some perfectly uninteresting event. Oscar Wilde _**

* * *

Twenty-five years. Ianto couldn't believe it had been twenty-five years since the Battle at Canary Wharf. Since then they had defeated the 456 with a massive biofeedback loop, dealt with the Slitheen trying twice more to take over the British government, not to mention a host of new species coming through the rift. Earth was still off-limits to more advanced alien species under the Shadow Proclamation, but every now and then some group would get the idea that a little peek at primitive Earth wouldn't do any harm. And usually they were right, but when that peek turned into a crash landing or brought a disease that life on Earth had no resistance to, or changed the timeline, Torchwood and UNIT were there to straighten things out.

Ianto was only twenty-three at the time of the attack, a very young employee for Torchwood and the youngest by far of any of the survivors. There were only two other survivors both in their seventies and now retired from working for UNIT. Ianto wondered if any of the other initial survivors, the ones who chose retcon or were admitted to long-term psychiatric facilities were still alive. Surprisingly, Jack wouldn't tell him.

'_Oh come on Jack, what would be the harm in letting me know?'_

"Ianto, I made a promise to the late Queen that I would never discuss it and I won't. You're not the only one who can keep a secret."

There was some talk of another formal memorial service to commemorate the anniversary, but given that there were now only three 'public' survivors left and a dwindling number of family members who kept vigil each anniversary at the monument to the casualties, the British government decided that it was best not to call attention to the matter.

It was an unusually warm evening when Ianto, Aaron, Stephen and the Brigadier attended the candlelight vigil at Canary Wharf in July of 2031. Jack did not attend as there was concern that his presence would reignite speculation on whether or not aliens had been involved. By now, many people accepted the fact that there was life on other planets. There had been too many reports worldwide of strange creatures and spaceships over the years for the possibility to be ignored. World governments were split on what to do, the US refused outright to inform its citizens as it would go against the beliefs of the powerful right wing religious lobby, while the UK took a more neutral approach with Parliament pronouncing the possibility of life on other planets.

The small gathering at Canary Wharf seemed sadder with only a handful of people attending. The other two survivors and their families were there along with a handful of relatives of the casualties. Most were quite elderly, and some like the Brigadier were in wheelchairs. A UNIT chaplain read a few prayers, the names of the dead and missing were read and the three remaining survivors were acknowledged.

"So sad," the Brigadier remarked afterwards. "All those people died because of a few people's hubris and lack of caution. Such a waste."

Ianto's thoughts were of a more personal nature. '_I cannot imagine what its going to feel like when I'm the last man standing. Literally.'_

Aaron squeezed his hand tightly. 'It beats the alternative,' Aaron pushed out.

'Yeah, you're right,' he thought.

'_At every anniversary I imagine what my co-workers would be doing now if they had lived,' _Ianto told the others_. 'The ones who were about my age anyway. Would they have married, had children, gone on to distinguished careers at Torchwood or UNIT or the government?'_

"And Charlie," Aaron added.

'_Especially Charlie.' _

Just a few months later, a phone call came for Ianto and Aaron in the middle of the night. The Brigadier had died. Since being confined to a wheel chair, the Brigadier's health had deteriorated rapidly; his mind had remained as clear as ever but it seemed that his body was unable to sustain his existence. The period following the Canary Wharf anniversary was especially difficult. The Brigadier had kidney stones and then when they were dealt with, his blood sugar shot out of control. After that he had a series of bladder infections, followed by severe fatigue. Stephen was beside himself. Aaron was staying over with them several nights a week to help out and give Stephen a break. But just when they'd get one problem under control, something else would crop up. Finally, the Brigadier came down with a drug resistant strain of bacterial pneumonia. He was in the hospital for several weeks before he succumbed to the infection.

Almost the entire family including Ronit and the Brigadier's second wife were able to come in for a final good-bye. Bryan couldn't be located in time and if the Brigadier was upset about his absence he kept the traditional stiff upper lip about it. Ianto was surprised that while Ronit was very supportive of Stephen, Candice (Stephen's mother) was not supportive of Aaron or even Stephen very much.

'_Ok, what was going on with Stephen's mother? I can understand her ignoring us, but Stephen was really grieving and she wasn't at all helpful.'_

"From what I remember and what Stephen's told me over the years, Candice is a very unemotional cold person. Bryan was always her baby, but I wonder if she has any contact with him.

'_You know what's really a shame? The Brigadier has a bunch of grandchildren in Australia that he never got to meet. But he never seemed to show much interest in them.'_

"Yeah and Stephen and I didn't exactly add to the family tree, did we? I don't know the details, but once Bryan moved away he decided that he didn't want anything to do with the family. I'm not aware of any major falling out, but he decided that we were all so bourgeois and middle-class, which is odd because he wasn't much of a rebel growing up."

'_Maybe he felt he couldn't compete with you and Stephen in the rebellion department.'_

Aaron snorted. "That must be it; he was probably j. that he wasn't a long-haired gay marine or a bi-sexual alcoholic computer programmer."

'_Aaron, that's terrible!'_ Ianto scolded.

"No I'm serious, actually. I think he couldn't understand how Father could love us as much as him when he was the nice straight son and Stephen and I were so…uh...embarrassing."

'_So you think he had so many children to make up for you and Stephen?'_

"In part. I don't know how he got involved with them, but once he joined that Quiverfull movement in Australia and bought into the whole 'making warriors for god' and being ready for the apocalypse nonsense he didn't want anything to do with his 'deviant' family. So while I think that Father would have liked some grandchildren, I don't think he wanted anything to do with a bunch of religious fanatics."

'_Well Bryan certainly has a quiver full and more; Talk about being fruitful and multiplying…'_

"That's certainly true but I think he may have, however, missed the part about actually supporting those children. Three ex-wives and a slew of children; I somehow doubt that he's paying alimony or child-support on the lot of them. He's never seemed to have a steady j., still lives in a caravan, not exactly a great success story."

'_Details, details.'_

The Brigadier didn't want any sort of formal funeral, so after cremation his remains were laid to rest with the other Hamilton's in the family plot. Only Stephen, Aaron and Ianto were there to watch the actual internment.

Ianto wasn't surprised when Aaron wanted to linger for a few minutes on his own. Much to everyone's astonishment, when Geoffrey died, the Brigadier insisted that he be buried as part of the family. Ianto and Aaron already had agreed that when they died that Aaron would be placed next to Geoffrey with Ianto on his other side.

"You guys actually talked about how you want to be buried?" Stephen asked in disbelief as they waited for Aaron.

'_I think Aaron was concerned that I wouldn't want to be where Geoffrey was laid to rest. But that's daft really; when I'm dead, I won't really care where my remains are, will I?'_

"You have a point. But you're not going to be cremated?"

'_Ronit asked us not to and we agreed.' _Seeing the confusion on Stephen's face, Ianto continued, '_It's a Jewish thing, I could see the whole idea of cremation really upset her. And I know she probably won't be alive when we die, but we promised.'_

"I suppose you already have music and everything picked out," Stephen teased. Seeing the embarrassed look Ianto gave him Stephen laughed adding, "Honestly, you two are the most anal retentive couple I have ever met."

'_The Hamilton-Jones family leaves nothing to chance.'_

Dr. Martin's team continued to refine the rift return projections and by early 2034 the targeted 95% accuracy rate was achieved. Tosh's team continued to struggle with the linear progression analysis and was only able to raise the accuracy of determining from where and when an unknown species came from through the rift to a little over 80%. New major rift openings developed in India and Botswana which meant setting up UNIT/Torchwood field offices in those locations. Oddly enough, the original rift in Cardiff seemed to be much quieter.

'_I wonder if there are only a finite number of rift incursions that can occur during any given period of time. So more activity at one rift site is balanced out by less at another,' Ianto said at the monthly Director's meeting._

"That's a really interesting idea," Jack responded. Who here has time to look into that?" The ten Torchwood London Directors rolled their eyes in unison. "Ianto, do you think Aaron would like to take that on as a consulting project?"

Ianto agreed to ask Aaron who was quite enthusiastic about the project. "It's really data analysis, but it is an interesting concept and would actually make some sense. What I can't understand is why the Earth has suddenly become the focus of breaks in the space/time continuum."

'_I don't know, but it's very worrisome. More troubling than aliens coming to earth through space. That at least we can track and plan for. The rift is still throwing things at us randomly and even if we can determine where and when they originated from we can only do that after the fact. Predictive abilities are still limited to general levels of activity.'_

"Which makes the first manned mission to Mars even more critical. We've got to have a base off Earth if something catastrophic happens."

'_Try telling that to the Americans.'_

"The European Union's going to have to push forward on its own or in conjunction with the Chinese. If they wait for the Americans to work through all their political divisions over aliens, they'll never get the program started."

'_Well they'd better. I have a strange feeling Jack isn't going to be with us that much longer. It's almost like he's driving us toward a deadline. He knows something big is coming and I have a feeling that he's not going to be here to help us through it.'_

Aaron was extremely worried about that statement. Who would look after Ianto if something happened to him? On the pretense of needing to get some technical assistance from Jack he made an appointment with him for the following week. They had a number of things to discuss, none of which involved alien invasions or rift activity.

He just hoped that Jack had really become the man he appeared to be.


	76. Another Silver Anniversary

**SUMMARY: **There's another 25 year anniversary to celebrate. This chapter is rated PG-13 for sexual references.

**_Title is from: A marriage anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. Paul Sweeney_**_**  
**_

* * *

Ianto was puzzled by Aaron's insistence on a meeting with Jack, but when he realized that an important event was coming in the next month, he smiled to himself. 'Isn't that just like Aaron,' he thought. 'Goes to Jack of all people to help with the planning.'

Ianto wasn't surprised when the following week Aaron had that serious, 'we need to talk' look on his face.

"So while I was meeting with J. we had a discussion about something other than the new project I'm working on. We have a rather important date coming up."

'_We do?' Ianto _asked pretending to be surprised.

"Can you believe it…twenty-five years since we had our civil union?"

'_And it only feels like thirty,' _Ianto snarked.

"Very funny. But I spoke to Jack, don't look at me like that…I spoke to because I wanted to get all of our Torchwood friends together for a little party and he is, after all, the boss."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Oi, if people need time off to come, he's the one who can make it happen. Anyway, given your mother's health, I hope you'll agree that we should have the party in Cardiff. That way she can be there along with Rhi and Johnny and David. We can schedule it after the spring semester ends in early May so that Mica can come down from Edinburgh. Obviously Owen and Tosh and Gwen and Rhys will be there, and Stephen and Martha and Tom said they can drive down for the weekend. Not sure about J. and Kelly – they have several graduations already scheduled so it looks doubtful. So that only leaves one question."

Ianto laughed. '_All their kids or adults only.'_ Aaron nodded. _'I vote for having the kids. You know if we were still in Cardiff we would know the kids better.'_

It was Aaron's turn to laugh. "Yeah, I know, just think of all the wonderful kids' birthday parties we've missed…the crying, the temper tantrums, the sulks and fights…gosh I feel terrible."

'_Especially the baby sitting. Think of all the baby sitting opportunities we've missed over the years.'_

"I'll take that to be a 'yes' on including the kids," Aaron said. "You know you're going to have to help me with all the kids' names and ages. I was never much good at that kind of stuff and since the stroke and heart attack…well you know how much worse it's become."

'_Getting old isn't for sissies, is it?'_

The second weekend in May, a few weeks after the actual date, Ianto and Aaron's 25th Anniversary party was held in Cardiff. Almost everyone was able to make it. Martha and Tom had to drop out at the last minute as Martha's mother wasn't well, and but other than that all their family and friends were there. Aaron struggled a bit with all the children's names but no one knew as Ianto pushed out the names to him as the kids came by to say hello.

'That's Riku, Owen and Tosh's son, but everyone calls him Ricky, he's almost 21.'

"Hey, Ricky," Aaron said shaking his hand. "I haven't seen you since you were practically a baby. Going to follow in your sister's footsteps and come work for Torchwood?"

"No," Ricky said laughing. "I'm just finishing my teacher's training and then, much to my parent's disappointment, I'll be teaching high school math here in Cardiff."

'_Well I think that's a fine pursuit,' _Ianto told him sincerely.

"Yeah? Well tell my Tad that. He's really upset that I'm not going into medicine or aiming for teaching at the University level. Thinks high school math teacher is a waste of my abilities."

Aaron snorted. "My father despaired that I'd ever make anything of myself. I don't know which of us were more surprised that I ended up in the Royal Marines. So keep true to your goals; things have a way of working out."

They chatted a bit more and then Ricky drifted off to talk to some other guests. 'So I give him three years of teaching high school brats before he ends up at Torchwood,' Ianto pushed out.

'I'm thinking more like two if he ends up teaching in a neighborhood like where you grew up,' Aaron pushed back.

Owen and Tosh came over and they spoke about work and Kimiyo who was a rising phenomenon at Torchwood Osaka. "No surprise there," Owen said, "she's always been such a go-getter…unlike my son."

Tosh rolled her eyes. "Owen, just ease up on Ricky will you. He'll find his own way. But the more you push, the worse you make it."

Ianto snorted. 'Fu_nny thing, Aaron and I were just laying bets on how long he's last in the Cardiff public schools. I said three years.'_

"I bet two," Aaron added laughing.

'_You know Owen, seeing as how I am an expert on raising children and everything, I think Tosh is right. Ricky's a very idealistic young man so you aren't going to deter him. You might as well just go along with it, if it's not for him, he'll find something else to do.'_

"You're probably right; sometimes I wonder if he doesn't do things half to spite me."

'_You think?'_

As the afternoon progressed, they visited with Gwen and Rhys and their children. Rhys Jr. was studying mechanical engineering at Cardiff University and his parents couldn't have been prouder.

"The first one in either family to go to college. We're expecting big things from this young man," Rhys stated as he put his arm around his son. Their daughter Bronwen was just finishing high school and was strikingly beautiful. Dark hair like Gwen and tall like Rhys but willowy, she turned heads where ever she went. She was very shy and after wishing Aaron and Ianto a happy anniversary, she moved off to talk to some of the other kids.

"She should model," Aaron said after she walked away. Rhys and Gwen looked at each other. "No seriously, she's just gorgeous."

"Yeah, we know," sighed Gwen. "I don't know if we ever told you, but she has some developmental problems. She's very immature for her age, always has been. And she's very naive and trusting. But now as a teenager, its becoming quite a problem…she doesn't seem to be able to understand that not everyone has her best interests at heart and that she needs to be careful that people don't take advantage of her."

"It was one thing when she was little and she'd give her toys away if another child wanted them," Rhys continued. "But we're fearful that she'll get talked into doing something she shouldn't like drugs or shoplifting…"

'Not to mention sex,' Aaron and Ianto both thought.

"We have to watch her every minute. I just don't know what's going to happen to her after high school. She's not college material, so we need to find something she can earn a living at. We don't want her to go and get married too young because she doesn't have any other options."

They spent most of the rest of the evening with Ianto's family. Johnny had retired after having been made redundant from his job, but was still boisterous and full of life. Rhi was taking evening art courses at a local college and was showing some real talent. David was setting up his own medical practice in Cardiff and his wife Claire was an assistant at a local vet clinic. Their daughter Rose had just turned two. David and Claire had met years ago when David had brought a kitten that had been hit by a car into the clinic where Claire worked. No one ever claimed the kitten, and so David had taken him home.

"Damn cat's almost 15 years old and he's still the most disagreeable, ornery creature I've ever met."

Mum added (in Welsh) that she was sure the cat was possessed. David nodded in agreement. "He's even mean to my sweet old GrandMum," he said leaning over and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Can you believe it?"

Claire laughed. "Mr. Mumbles really is a grouchy old man. Oddly enough though, he's very sweet and gentle with Rose. We were afraid we might have to find him a new home once Rose was born, but he'll let her do anything to him without protest."

Aaron was puzzled. "But why would finding him a new home be an issue. It doesn't sound like there's any love lost between the two of you and him."

"Oi!" David said. "He's my grouchy cat and I'm not giving him away."

Everyone laughed. _'You may recall that my family is a bit hyper-loyal,' _Ianto added.

"We sure are," Rhi agreed. "Here we all are celebrating my brother's anniversary when he had the gall to leave us again for London," she teased.

"Yeah, but I'd move to London for a guy like Aaron," Mica added. She was junior Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Edinburgh and had brought her fiancé Stuart with her to the party. "My uncle has always had the most gorgeous boyfriends. Almost as gorgeous as Stuart," she laughed as she kissed Stuart on the cheek.

That comment lead to Ianto retelling the story of Mica's questions to Owen when he and Ianto came to visit Ianto's first Christmas back in Cardiff. Everyone was howling with laughter over her thinking that Owen was Ianto's boyfriend.

Mica was mortified. "I was very precocious," she explained to Aaron and Stuart.

"We love Aaron, but I still think Ianto should have married a doctor," Mum added in Welsh.

"Listen," David asked suddenly serious. "Speaking of old flames, where did Captain Jack get off to?"

Aaron pointed him over toward a table where Mickey, Owen, Stephen and Jack were talking.

"I need to apologize to him." Ianto looked confused. "Something that happened years ago, right after you left Cardiff. I doubt he remembers but it's bothered me for years." David excused himself and went over to the table where Jack was sitting.

Rhi explained about the phone call from Jack after Ianto moved to London and David telling Jack that he hated him. "Yeah, David was so angry. But afterwards I think he really regretted it. With you gone, I think he would have liked to have had Captain Jack around, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it." She sighed. "Where did the years go?"

They talked a bit more about earlier times when Ianto and Aaron noticed that it was getting late. They excused themselves so they could began to make a round of thank you's to all their guests. Aaron noticed Jack and David speaking to each other off to one side of the room. He nudged Ianto to look just as David and Jack shook hands and then hugged.

"Looks like that's one friendship that's been patched up."

'_Yeah, Jack's a funny guy. Sometimes he doesn't seem to care about anyone but himself, but other times he'll care for someone to his own detriment. Hard to understand his reasoning some times.'_

Aaron put his mental shields carefully in place. 'After my last conversation with him, don't I know it.'

Final goodbyes were said and Aaron and Ianto headed back to their hotel. They undressed each other slowly and got into bed.

'Twenty-five years, who would have thought,' Ianto pushed out.

'I knew the minute I saw you that we were destined to be together. No really, I did. You really are the love of my life,' Aaron pushed back as he took Ianto in his arms.

Sensing that Aaron wanted him to take control, Ianto rolled on top of Aaron. Looking down at Aaron he actually felt a twinge in his heart. 'Duw, I love you so much it hurts.'

'Show me how much you love me,' Aaron said.

And Ianto did, making achingly slow passionate love to Aaron until they finally fell asleep just before dawn.


	77. Invasion

**SUMMARY: **Planet Earth is invaded by aliens and Torchwood is ready. Some of the planet...not so much. This chapter is rated R for sexual activity  
****

**_Title is from: _****_Ronald Reagan used to alarm his Soviet counterparts by saying that surely they'd both unite against an invasion from Mars. _****_Christopher Hitchens_**_**  
**_

It was late March and it was raining. And it was London so no surprise there. Fortunately it was also Saturday and for once Ianto and Aaron didn't have to get up early. The weather the past few days had been mild and Ianto and Aaron had talked about getting a head start on their little garden in the back of their house.

Ianto got out of bed and looked at the rain pouring down outside. 'Well, so much for gardening,' he thought. 'Wonder if I should go into the office and look at some of the latest data to come back from the tests.'

Ianto had been assigned to a special project at Torchwood for the last two years. He couldn't talk about it to anyone outside of Torchwood even Aaron much to his dismay. Ianto had figured out much about the purpose of the project, but still wasn't sure that it had any practical applications.

Aaron yawned and stretched lazily. "Is it time to get up? It's hardly light out."

'_Actually it's almost 9, but the sky is filled with dark clouds and its raining hard. Doesn't look like its going to end anytime soon.'_

"We could stay in bed all day."

'_Aaron don't be daft, we can't do that.'_

"Why not? Is there anything we planned on doing today that can't wait? We certainly aren't going out in the rain to start our garden. So that pretty much eliminates the need to go to the garden store. And I bet that laundry will still be waiting for us a couple hours from now."

'_Yeah, I could use another hour or so of sleep.'_

Aaron laughed. "That's not exactly what I had in mind."

'_No. You're kidding me,' _Ianto snarked.

"Get over here," Aaron growled.

_'Ok, not kidding. Let me just brush my teeth and use the loo. You might want to do the same. Especially the teeth part.'_

Aaron chuckled. After almost thirty years together, they were completely at ease with each other's bodies. But Ianto had one iron-clad rule about intimacy. No kissing with morning breath.

"Ok. If you're going to go neurotic on me, I will get up and brush my teeth. I might even wash my face." Aaron went to use the guest bathroom down the hall while Ianto used the ensuite. Aaron dawdled just a bit looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. 'Shit I'm getting old,' he thought. Every time I look, I see ten more grey hairs and five more wrinkles.'

Aaron wasn't vain by nature, but it seemed to him that he had started to really show his age the last year or so. He tried to remember if the Brigadier had had the same experience, but he didn't think so. He'd have to ask Stephen the next time…shit, how long had he been standing there he suddenly wondered.

He came back to their bedroom to find that Ianto had fallen back to sleep. He was lying on his stomach, blankets just covering his hips snoring softly. 'Ianto's getting a little grey himself around the temples' he noticed. But at least from the back his skin was still smooth and unblemished.

Aaron smiled as he snuggled next to Ianto pulling the covers up over both of them. He loved spooning against Ianto, just holding him and breathing in his scent as his nose brushed against the nape of Ianto's neck. Ianto sniffed and turned to face him.

"Falling asleep on me. I feel insulted."

Ianto smiled and stretched like a cat. _'I really am tired. That project is really wearing me out. And what took you so long?'_

"I was just looking at my newest strands of gray hair and wrinkles in the bathroom mirror."

Ianto smiled. _'It's the gray hair on your chest and lower that I've been noticing.'_

"Oi, watch the pubic hair jokes, will you. You're starting to get grey hair yourself, you know."

_'Yeah but just on my head.'_

"Well I may be almost seventy-two, but I still have some mileage left in me."

'Take me for a ride then,' Ianto pushed back.

Aaron pulled Ianto close and kissed him long and hard. He wasn't sure why, but he felt an urge to take Ianto without the usual foreplay.

"Want to take you now, Ianto" he thought as he pinned Ianto's arms above his head. "Want to take you hard and fast." He looked into Ianto's eyes and saw complete trust and understanding. Ianto nodded his consent.

Aaron quickly prepared and entered Ianto. Ianto wrapped his legs around Aaron pushing out, 'I'm completely yours, take what you need.'

A low growl rose in Aaron's throat as he pulled back and thrust hard into Ianto. Ianto moaned as the sensations from Aaron and his own feelings fused together. Ianto raised his legs a bit more to give Aaron a better angle. Aaron thrust hard again feeling Ianto's pleasure building along with his own. He looked at Ianto once again and heard Ianto think, 'Go on then. What are you waiting for?'

Aaron didn't need any additional encouragement. He thrust into Ianto at a furious pace as Ianto writhed and moaned underneath him. Occasionally, he'd temper his hard thrusts in order to rock inside Ianto so that he was applying direct pressure against Ianto's prostate. He could hear Ianto's mind begging for release and he began to thrust once again. He felt his own pleasure building quickly.

'Come with me Ianto,' he thought as he began to rock once again, 'come now.' Ianto surprised himself with how rapidly those words triggered his release. As he was still feeling the last pulses of Ianto's climax, Aaron's orgasm overtook him. He cried out Ianto's name and bit him hard on the collar bone, causing Ianto to tighten around him. Aaron thought he might pass out as Ianto continued to clench around him. Finally, Ianto began to relax and Aaron could catch his breath.

'John Hart, the gift that keeps on giving,' Ianto thought.

'Yeah, he's going to be the death of me one of these days,' Aaron pushed back. 'Don't know about you, but I'm exhausted.'

They had just fallen back into a light doze when Ianto's cell phone rang. Ianto fumbled for it but missed. Aaron grabbed it, saw it was Jack and answered the call while Ianto struggled to wake up.

"Yeah it Aaron, Ianto's waking up. We were taking a nap." A pause. "Shit you're kidding….no, no I'll put Ianto on." Ianto saw the serious look on Aaron's face and grabbed the phone.

Jack didn't waste any time with formalities. "It's started, Ianto. Remember when I said that the 21st century is where it all changes. Well, its here. All that work I've had you and Tosh do in secret over the last two years is now going to come into play."

'_What? What's going on?'_

"The space-time continuum is about to be violated in a big way. You need to get down here as soon as possible. Aaron is not obligated to come, but we certainly won't refuse his assistance."

'_Jack…slow down. What's happening?'_

"The Invasion. Through time and space. This will determine the future of the human race. Torchwood and UNIT will be holding a joint briefing for all field offices, NATO, heads of state and their defense ministers in one hour. Get down here as quick as you can. Gotta go." Jack ended the call.

Aaron had heard enough to start his shower and urged Ianto in with him. "Damn, every time we try to have a nice quiet weekend, the world decides to end," he snarked but his face belied his casual remark.

'Aaron,' Ianto pushed out, 'you don't have to go. Maybe you should stay here.'

"The hell I will. If there's going to be a war, you need soldiers, even retired ones like me. If nothing else, I can work as support so the Torchwood employees can concentrate on the aliens."

Ianto felt real dread in his heart. He had sensed that things were going to change from Jack and that it wasn't going to be good in the short run.

Ianto and Aaron arrived just in time for the briefing. The main auditorium at Torchwood London was packed and large monitors at the front of the room showed video hookups to UNIT headquarters, Torchwood/UNIT field offices, NATO, the prime ministers office and the minister of defense as well as the King, the President of the United States and the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the Pentagon, as well as officials from the rest of Western Europe, China, Japan, India and Pakistan, Russia, several former soviet republics, most of Latin America, Australia and Canada, the African Union as well as some of the Middle Eastern nations. It was also being broadcast to UN Headquarters.

Jack introduced himself to the global audience and explained that the Earth was about to face an invasion the likes of which they had never anticipated.

"It's the Toclafane. I won't go into their history now, suffice it to say that these aliens come from another time far in the future and through the manipulation of the time/space continuum they will be here in ten days bent on the total destruction of planet Earth. They can be defeated, but it won't be easy. Every nation will need to mobilize troops as quickly as possible. Torchwood field offices already have prototypes and designs for the weapons you will need to create. They can be operated by anyone who has conventional weapons training.

Do not deceive yourselves, this is real, its happening and each nation will need to be responsible for its own defense. For nations that are too poor to produce these weapons or lack the resources, UNIT will be supplying troops and weapons. Plans have been drawn up as what nations will be supported by UNIT. Every country has the right to refuse, but be advised that refusal will result in mass casualties if not annihilation of your populations."

Aaron was stunned when Ianto got up and walked to the podium. '_My name is Ianto Jones, Executive Director of Torchwood Research & Analytics and my job, along with my team has been to develop these defensive weapons. I want to make clear that these weapons will only work on the Toclafane. They will have no effects on humans and will become inoperable once the invasion is defeated. Any attempts to modify these weapons during or after the invasion will be dealt with by UNIT. They have express permission from the permanent members of the UN Security Council to destroy anyone individual or government who attempts to use this technology for any purpose other than which it is intended.'_

The head of UNIT, General Stanley McGregor outlined a series of briefings that would occur over the next twenty-four hours. There were briefings scheduled on weapons manufacturing, delivery and training, government communications, counterinsurgency, medical triage, protection of nations without troop or weapon production capabilities and every other contingency that they could plan for.

For once major military and political alliances were working together having had the advantage of forewarning from Torchwood. Torchwood had known because the Doctor had provided information to Jack about the upcoming invasion. Jack was startled that the Doctor had given him notice and authorized him to begin planning a defense.

"Well looking from the future its clear that the Earth had a small window of opportunity to plan for the invasion, but it's unclear how well they made use of it," the Doctor explained. "So I don't think we're changing anything by telling you – that looks to be a fixed point in time."

What the Doctor didn't know is that once Jack became aware two years earlier of the attack he had most of Torchwood and a fair part of UNIT working on a strategy to defeat the Toclafane. He was pretty sure that this was a far longer period than Earth had during his past's timeline, but his main responsibility was to this timeline regardless if that changed the future. He did wonder, however, if his direct ancestors were killed if that would obliterate his future but the Doctor waived his concerns away with a remark about him being a fixed point in time that would be unaffected by what happened on 21st Century Earth.

The Doctor also didn't know that Jack had discovered that the source of the attack was once again the Master and the Doctor was trying to stave off destruction of the Earth while still protecting the insane Time Lord. Jack had already laid plans for hunting down and killing the Master and this time he would not give in to the Doctor's desire to save him. There was no paradox machine being used so no way to reset time. Whatever happened was going to be real and permanent. And Torchwood was ready.

The chaos caused by the invasion of the Toclafane made the incident with the 456 look like a minor inconvenience. Many nations, including all the permanent members of the UN Security Council were already well equipped with the military hardware they needed to defend the major cities which would the primary targets during the attack. China and the Russian Federation had no problem readying their governments and civilian populations for the attack. The legislatures of France, the UK and the US were furious that they had not been included in the planning. A direct appeal by King William (quoting Churchill) and the announcement that Prince Harry would lead the troops brought the population of the United Kingdom in line with plans.

French citizens rioted in the streets and then those who could deserted the large cities much as they had in World War II. The French President was only partially successful in ordering his troops at the ready. Nobody was really surprised.

And then there were the Americans. Jack would shake his head afterwards at the way American politics played out. The Congress deadlocked and refused to approve a Declaration of War. The President invoked Executive Privilege and took direct charge of military operations. She addressed the Congress forty-eight hours after the countdown to invasion had begun.

"I am the Commander in Chief," she told a joint session of Congress, "and as such, I am ordering all armed forces including the National Guard at the ready. Any refusal to cooperate will result in the takeover of those troops by the Federal Government."

Not surprisingly, several states refused to ready their troops and within 48 hours those states were under federal military control. Also not surprisingly, the Congress continued its useless wrangling, many calling for Impeachment of the President.

The President addressed the nation in a special newscast the next day. "My job is to protect the American people, not to play politics. If the Congress wants to impeach me afterwards, that's fine. But I won't stand by as our cities burn and our way of life is destroyed."

As they saw other nations prepare most Americans realized that this was not some type of international conspiracy started by the UN. There really was going to be an invasion and there was no time to lose. And while cities would be targeted, so would strategic locations such as nuclear power plants, telecommunications operations, as well as rail and air transport hubs. Like France, the major cities saw a mass exodus of civilians. Fortunately, the government had had time to plan and quickly had tent cities in place for the displaced populations.

Most other nations had at least some defenses in place by the end of the ten day countdown. And while they also saw major exoduses from cities in the end about two-thirds of the populations of all major cities stayed where they were either not wanting to move to a tent city or figuring that those temporary camps would become targets as well.

Many smaller nations, particularly in the Caribbean and the south pacific felt they were too far off the radar strategically to be the focus of attacks. And while they were mostly right, they were totally unprepared when the fighting spilled over to their locations. The President of Haiti summed up the general attitude when he was questioned about his nation's lack of preparedness.

"Aliens? Why would they bother with us? We have nothing they would want. No minerals, no industry, no military. But if they want mudslides, that we can give them." Still, the UN sent a small contingent of troops just in case.

And the Middle East also had difficulties getting ready. Israel, Egypt, Jordon and Syria had sufficient troops and weapons to mount their own defenses. Saudi Arabia had to dance around the issue of letting UNIT infidels on their soil and found themselves exposed to attack. Iraq, Libya, and Lebenon had troops but many of their citizens believed the upcoming attack had nothing to do with aliens and their governments struggled as sectarian violence broke out. Iran blamed Israel and the International Zionist Conspiracy for the invasion; no surprise there.

When the fighting ended, the estimate was that 20 million people had been killed. A huge number, but considering the estimates for casualties if no preparations had been undertaken were upwards of 100 million lives, the work of Torchwood had undoubtedly saved tens of millions of lives.

The worst damage occurred as predicted mostly in the large cities. The New York financial district was hit hard and the UN building was destroyed but most of the city survived intact. Los Angeles and Chicago sustained moderate damage but nothing on the order of London, a city of similar size but as home to UNIT and Torchwood, a far more strategically important location. Washington, DC also sustained considerable damage, but fortunately almost all civilians not involved in providing essential services were evacuated before the invasion began. Half of Paris was destroyed due to their lack of preparation and twenty percent of their remaining populations was killed or wounded. Likewise Moscow was targeted along with Mexico City and Sao Paulo but the attacks seemed, like Washington to be centered on government and military locations rather than civilians.

The attacks almost seemed random at times. Some cities in a country would be targeted while others would be barely affected. Osaka and Shanghai sustained heavy damage and huge numbers of casualties. Given their large populations, most people were unable to evacuate and the Toclafane seemed to unleash their wrath in greater intensity there than in other locations. Tokyo and Beijing were damaged but by comparison seemed almost untouched.

Mumbai and Delhi fared better at least in terms of the survival of their infrastructures but the military casualties were high. The Indian troops fought with incredible discipline and courage in order to protect the cities and their populations and their bravery and sacrifice were something people around the world talked about for years.

Jakarta was destroyed. No preparations had taken place as they believed they had no strategic importance. Apparently the Toclafane disagreed. Most of the Middle East and N. Africa sustained light casualties with the exceptions of the two largest population centers of Cairo and Tehran. They were well armed and prepared but the number of civilians in close quarters left almost a million casualties between the two cities. The petroleum installations in Saudi Arabia were destroyed. The rest of the Middle East, as well as Central and Southern Africa (with the exceptions of Lagos and Capetown) were never attacked.

But while losses were counted in the millions every family that lost a loved one sustained a horrible loss. Some people turned to prayer, some cursed God, others blamed the politicians, and still others became unhinged or unable to cope with the reality of the alien attacks.

And as Torchwood and UNIT and the UN worked to help restore order to the world, severe casualties hit them as well.


	78. Battle

**SUMMARY: **The future of Earth and the human race hangs in the balance as the battle is waged against the Toclafane. This chapter is rated G/PG for violence.

_**Title is from: **__**In a battle all you need to make you fight is a little hot blood and the knowledge that it's more dangerous to lose than to win. **__**George Bernard Shaw.**_

_**COMMENTS - I NEED SOME COMMENTS!**___

* * *

The Battle for Earth only lasted seven days. But for anyone who witnessed the attack by the Toclafane, it was seven days of living hell. No one, but Jack and the Doctor knew that the Toclafane were actually human cyborgs from the end of time.

Programmed by the Master, they unleashed their laser weapons on strategic buildings and installations. Their spikes and blades seemed to be reserved for particular individuals they wanted eliminated as well as to capture heads of state from their protective shield of troops without harming these important hostages. The Master had no concern for them killing their ancestors and canceling out their futures, he wanted the present day Earth from which to attempt to launch another attempt at a takeover of the Universe. What happened to the human race in the future was of no concern to him.

He wisely decided that he couldn't burn all the cities or kill all the humans as he would need manufacturing capability to build weapons for his future attacks as well as an enslaved population to build those weapons. Most importantly though, he needed to eliminate as much of Torchwood and Unit's personnel and resources as possible in order to decrease the risk of future uprisings.

What he didn't expect was the amount of resistance the Toclafane would face as well as the existence of a weapon that could destroy them. Jack knew that the Toclafane could be incapacitated by an electrical surge of 58.5 kilo-amperes which transferred a charge of 510 mega joules. This was exactly the power that existed in lightning bolts however mankind was a long way from being able to produce a defense of that magnitude without the use of nuclear weapons.

The teams under Ianto and Tosh's direction were able to develop a weapon that produced one millionth the electrical charge needed and using future wave technology the charge could then be amplified a million fold on contact with the Toclafane. Contact with the unique molecular structure of the aliens was required to complete the amplification so that if turned on a human, it wouldn't have much more power than a TASER. In fact, the weapons were designed using the TASER as the base component so they could be manufactured easily and cheaply.

The Master was also unaware that Captain Jack Harkness was no longer on Earth and was closing in on his base just beyond Europa. UNIT took charge of the battle in London and Mickey Smith acted as second in command overseeing the worldwide coordination of troops and armaments. Aaron took charge of tracking supplies and dealing the numerous problems that arose moving massive numbers of troops, supplies and weapons. This freed Ianto and his team to concentrate on analyzing the attack patterns of the Toclafane and the performance of the TASERS to devise optimal strategies for destroying the invaders.

The Torchwood Research Center in Osaka was destroyed the first day of the invasion. The staff there insisted that they could defend themselves, and unfortunately UNIT and Torchwood went along with their assessment. But they were scientists, not soldiers and were overpowered within hours. Kimiyo Sato-Harper perished along with five hundred other scientists.

The Torchwood Asian Offices headquartered in Delhi were fortified by Indian military troops as well as UNIT personnel. The building and most of the staff survived but not without the loss of several hundred Indian soldiers. The death toll in the manufacturing city of Mumbai was unimaginable.

The United States came out of the invasion with surprisingly few casualties relatively speaking, just over four hundred and fifty-thousand lives lost. The main goal of the attack centered on destruction of government and banking centers in Washington and New York, as well as a concerted effort to capture the President. Jack reckoned that the population of the United States would most likely be killed or enslaved after the invasion but that they weren't the focus of the initial strike. The President wisely took his advice and numerous look-alikes were planted around the country to distract and confuse the invaders. There were twenty-seven in all, all volunteers from the CIA, FBI and Pentagon and twenty of them were hunted down and killed in the attack.

The real President along with her cabinet, military and pentagon officials were scattered across the country in secure locations. They knew that their usual safe locations would be known to the alien invaders and wisely avoided them. Back ups to NORAD's locations at Cheyenne Mountain and Ontario had been constructed in secret and proved vital as both headquarters were heavily damaged during the initial wave of attack. Governments around the world, including the U.S. used communication devices from the 25th Century that the Toclafane wouldn't be scanning for. Afterward people found it hard to believe that the Pentagon had directed the battle from farm houses near Spring Green, Wisconsin as well as Batavia, New York. The President and a few key staff members were in a secure facility set up in an abandoned warehouse in Detroit, Michigan. The Vice President and additional staff were hidden at the Lodge at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Other major cities had only light casualties limited mostly to those manning regional FBI offices, military bases, police stations, local government headquarters and communication centers such as television and radio stations and high speed data centers. Several smaller cities that were home to nuclear power plants were targeted but expecting that, the President had ordered a large number of troops to protect these facilities. Casualties were quite high, but only one shut-down reactor was partially damaged.

London was a special case. With both UNIT and Torchwood international headquarters located in the heart of London, Jack expected the invasion to be intense. And he was right. Fortunately, there was also a huge contingent of British and UNIT troops as well as Torchwood personnel to face down the invaders.

There was one problem that arose in London that proved to be intractable. King William refused to vacate Buckingham Palace. He felt that he needed to be with his people and that leaving would be cowardly. With Jack gone, there was no one who had the nerve to confront the King on this ill advised strategy.

By the third day of fighting, the troops in London were holding there own, but the fighting around the palace had intensified. Ianto walked in to Mickey Smith's office just in time to hear him cursing out someone on the phone before slamming it down.

'_I see you are employing the Jack Harkness strategy of diplomatic relations.'_

"It's those damn toadies at Buckingham Palace. I can't even get through to speak to the King let alone persuade him that he's got to evacuate. We really need to get him somewhere safe without the Toclafane finding out. We can still defend the palace as if he was there, but it's getting increasingly risky for him to stay."

'_Do you think someone could get me over there? I'd be willing to talk to him and see if I can convince him leave. In fact, I even know a way we can get him out without anyone being aware of it.'_

Mickey looked at Ianto in disbelief. "OK, I heard you used to have tea with the late Queen, but really, why would he listen to you?"

Ianto smiled. _'Because William always listens to my advice. You know that lovely ring he got for the Princess; you don't think he picked it out do you? And I'm sure you've noticed how well his suits have been looking on him. I finally convinced him to get a decent tailor. Now if I can do that, I think I have a pretty good shot at having him listen to me about evacuating.'_

Mickey rolled his eye. "Only you could get away with telling the King that his suits don't fit right. Fine, I'll send you over with a contingent of troops."

'_No troops, nothing to draw attention to my arrival.'_

"Then how are you going to get him safely out of the palace."

'_Tunnels. Don't roll your eyes; there really are tunnels under Buckingham Palace.'_

"Do you have any idea where these tunnels are located and where they end up?"

'_Of course, as the archivist at Torchwood, I've seen the plans for the tunnels. The Doctor convinced King George V to have the tunnels dug and they were enhanced during the reign of George VI just prior to World War II.'_

Mickey watched as Ianto pulled out a pre-paid cell phone and dialed. '_Just calling William's cell phone to let him know I'm coming…yes, Your Highness, those suits you ordered are ready for a fitting…yes they are very closely tailored and I think we should try them on to decide whether they are a little too tight. No it will be just me and an assistant so no need for a fuss. Well, of course you should change into your best pants, how else will we know if the suits fit properly?' _Ianto winked at Mickey. _'I'll see you in about an hour.'_

Mickey sunk back into his chair. "Please tell me that you were not just speaking to the King about his underwear."

'_Don't worry, William knows what it means.'_

Ianto and a UNIT sharpshooter were armed with the advanced TASERS as well as some weevil spray in case they got any interference from the staff. When Ianto went to tell Aaron where he was going, Aaron insisted on coming with.

'Aaron, there's no time to argue about this,' Ianto pushed out.

'That's right,' Aaron sent back, 'think of the advantage we'll have if we don't have to speak. No risk of being overheard, no risk of compromise.'

Ianto had to admit that Aaron had a good point. So in the end Ianto the Tailor and his two assistants drove a low level employee's car over to the Palace. Apparently William had left orders to give immediate entry to his tailor so they got into the Palace with a minimum of fuss.

'I just hope we get out as easily,' Aaron pushed out. Ianto nodded.


	79. Bravery

**SUMMARY: **The Toclafane close in on Buckingham Palace. Will Ianto and Aaron be in time to save the King? This chapter is rated G/PG for violence.

_**Title is from: **__**All brave men love; for he only is brave who has affections to fight for, whether in the daily battle of life, or in physical contests. **__**Nathaniel Hawthorne**__**  
**__  
_They met with the King in The Green Drawing Room. The King ordered his various attendants to leave the area and while they made it clear they thought this was ill-advised they complied.

* * *

Ianto reckoned it was best to get to the point. _'Your Majesty it looks likely that the Palace will fall to the Toclafane within the next 24 hours. We need to get you to safety. If you are captured or killed the effect on the morale of the people of the United Kingdom, perhaps the world will be irreparably damaged.'_

"Goodness Ianto, I've never heard you so formal before. Last month it was Will, now its Your Majesty. Must be really serious then. As for morale, usually all I hear about from the nation are complaints about how expensive and unnecessary we royals are."

If Aaron or the UNIT sharpshooter were surprised by the King's sarcasm, they gave no indication. Ianto knew that this was William's way of dealing with stress but he had no doubts that the King knew the seriousness of the situation.

"So what's the plan, then?"

'_We're going to go through one of the underground tunnels to a safe location.'_

The King's eyes widened a bit. "Don't you think the aliens will know all about the rumored tunnels to the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines? And forget about the tunnel and bunker at Q-Whitehall. Frankly I'd rather be killed by aliens than have to spend days in close quarters with members of Parliament."

'_There's another tunnel, one that no one but your grandfather knew about. I don't even think the late Queen was aware of it.'_

The King wanted to know where the tunnel led, but Ianto was fearful that the room was bugged or that there might be people listening in who would trade the safety of the King for a chance to survive. So he lied.

'_We'll enter the tube near Victoria station and then walk east to the Northern line. There's a secret track with a train car to take us to a bunker near Mill Hill East.'_

To Aaron Ianto pushed out, 'District Line, East Putney. Only Jack and General Hagston from UNIT know.'Aaron nodded.

The King looked at Ianto and then Aaron and smiled. "Is he one of your Torchwood psychics?" Seeing the look of surprise on Ianto's face he continued, "well there's certainly some type of communication going on between the two of you."

'_Ok, you got us. Yes another highly trained mind-reader. Let's get a move on, there's no time to lose.'_

As quickly as they could the four men moved toward the Nash Gallery. Several times, various palace guards and officials tried to stop them, but a quick order from the King effectively silenced them. Just as they approached the entrance to the Gallery, the King's personal secretary caught up to them.

"Your Majesty, you cannot wander off unprotected. I really must insist that you return to the main part of the palace. The aliens are getting closer and we need to discuss safety measures."

King William knew the loyalty of this man, but a glance at Ianto confirmed that even he couldn't be told about the King's escape.

"Terrance, you've always been the most loyal servant to me. So I'm asking you now, as your King and your friend to turn back and not impede us. We are going into the Nash Gallery to have a top secret discussion and we do not want to be interrupted. For any reason. This UNIT soldier will guard the entrance and he has my express orders to shoot anyone who enters. Is that understood?"

Terrance nodded. "Good man."

Once in the Gallery Ianto and the others searched for the entrance to the tunnel. It took longer to find than expected as it had been wallpapered over several times. They had to cut away the heavy layers of paper only find that the door was effectively stuck shut. It was not much bigger than the space needed for a personal to walk through and no knob or handle was apparent. Nearly an hour later, they were still trying to get the door open when they heard the sounds of shouting and gunfire.

"Cutting it a little close here," Aaron whispered as they began to get the door loose. William had gone pale realizing how close the noise was getting. He began to push on the hinged side of the door and suddenly the door pivoted partially open leaving an opening just big enough to squeeze through.

"Go, quickly now, don't look back," Aaron said fairly pushing Ianto through the door. He handed the King a flashlight. "Good luck." The King hesitated just a moment peering into the small tunnel. The shouting sounded closer. A piercing scream could be heard. "Your Majesty, now please," Aaron pleaded.

The King motioned to Aaron but he shook his head 'no.' As the King entered the tunnel he looked back to see that Aaron had unsheathed his Taser and stood blocking the door. Aaron turned and saluted the King and smiled. "For King and Country," he said.

Ianto yelled for them to hurry up. Aaron motioned for the King to go. "Run as fast as you can and don't look back." The King did as he was told.

The King came upon Ianto about 30 yards into the tunnel. Ianto had stopped at the top of a very steep stairway. '_Where's Aaron?'_ he asked as he tried to see back toward the entrance of the tunnel.

'Run Ianto run. They're right outside the entrance to the Palace. You've probably got a half hour head start on them at most.' Aaron pushed out.

"He's not coming," William said quietly. "He said to run."

And they did. Racing down the stone stairs as fast as they could they arrived at the bottom breathless. As they stopped to catch their breath, each man was lost in his own thoughts.

'Aaron, Ianto said Aaron didn't he,' the King thought. 'That couldn't be…but the man is the right age, obviously has military training…'

'Oh god, Aaron, please get out of there. Why did I let you come, I should have known you'd pull something like this.'

They moved on at a run until they reached Victoria Station. The entire underground had been shut down except for military use at the start of the invasion. It was eerily quiet as the came onto the platform. As Ianto turned to the West, the King motioned him to stop.

"Aren't we supposed to go East?"

'_No we're heading West to the East Putney station. There's a safe room set up there. Sorry but we're going to have to walk.'_

The King shook his head in irritation. "East Putney, good Lord? Did you lie to me? Tell me you didn't lie to me…oh you thought we might be overheard." Ianto nodded.

They found a narrow walkway that ran along the side of the District Line and single file made their way as quickly as they could down the underground tunnel. Once they got past the station, there was very little light. Their flashlights illuminated just enough for them to see in front of them, it was pitch black everywhere else. Ianto almost felt like he was walking in outer space, weightless and disoriented.

Just as they reached the deserted South Kensington platform Ianto fell to his knees crying out. He stayed that way for a few moments tears running down his face. Finally he got up, wiped his eyes and schooled his face back into his professional mask.

As he began to move on toward the far end of the platform, William felt the cold knife edge of fear run through him. "Wait, what's going on? What's happened?" Ianto didn't respond and just kept walking. "Ianto, I'm ordering you to tell me what…"

Ianto stopped, turned back and looked at the King and typed into his cell. _'Aaron's dead. And we have a long way to go. We need to keep moving.' _

And in an astonishing breach of protocol, Ianto turned his back on the King and walked away.


	80. Aftermath

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and the King await rescue; Jack picks up his pieces and returns to earth. This chapter is rated G/PG for violence.

_**Title is from: **__**All the aftermath that so frequently follows in the wake of war still confront the nation, and we now, as ever before, must hold fast to the ancient landmarks and see to it that all of these plagues that threaten so mightily shall be rendered harmless.**_**_Alexander Henry_**

**A/N: Well I'm back from vacation - but my luggage isn't. That's one way to avoid doing laundry. Let's see if absence makes the heart grow fonder...if it does, I should see some nice comments, right?**  
_**  
**_

Seven days. Seven days without a peep from the outside world. By the evening of the seventh day Ianto and the King were getting on each other's nerves. When they actually conversed they alternated between over-politeness and sniping at each other.

"If we don't get out of here soon, I may have to kill you," the King snarked.

_'Don't worry; I'll be dead from your stench long before that. Either that or the beef stroganoff.'_

"Oh I don't think that one's so bad. It's that tuna and rice cassoulet that's getting to me. It looks like vomit even before you eat it."

'_Listen to us. We're pathetic.'_

"Yeah, you'd think we' something more interesting to talk about."

'_Like rugby,' _Ianto suggested.

"Never could abide rugby, now soccer…don't you start rolling your eyes at me again."

'_If we get out of here, I'm going to make sure places like this have a decent assortment of liquor.'_

"And how about some guns. Nothing goes with liquor like guns."

Ianto smiled and was about to retort when he heard something. He motioned the King to the far end of the room as he pulled out the Taser. The sounds were coming closer now, definitely human voices. Ianto tossed the Taser aside and opened a small panel in the wall next to the cabinets.

The King was stunned to see Ianto pull out a semi-automatic weapon. "What the hell…" Ianto motioned a zipper across the mouth to the King.

Ianto inserted a clip into gun, primed the chamber and aimed at the door. For the first time in seven days Ianto's cell phone rang. It was Mickey and General Hagston. _'Yes, the King is fine; do you want to talk to him?' _

Ianto listened some more as the General provided the passwords they'd arranged previously. He activated the speaker phone so the King could hear as well.

'_What's the situation up top?'_

"It's grim, Ianto. Something happened about ten hours ago. The Toclafane seemed to panic and lose control. All at once, all over the world. Most fled into space, the rest began to fire erratically and self destruct, those that didn't were picked off one by one. There may be a few lingering so you both will be under heavy guard as you leave the safe room as well as for the immediate future until we are sure they are all clear."

_'Jack must have succeeded in killing the Master.'_

That's what we reckoned except we've seen no sign of his return." Ianto nodded and then realized they couldn't see him. _'That doesn't surprise me; he's probably a long way from Earth.'_

At the other end the General and Mickey looked at each trying to decide whether they should say anything else to Ianto. "Ianto, this is Mickey. I'm sorry to give you this kind of news right now, but I think I should so that you aren't surprised by it."

'_I know about Aaron.' _The General was stunned but Mickey understood. "How much..." he started to say, but Ianto interrupted him.

_'I know exactly how he died.' _Ianto had to steel himself to ask, '_listen, can you put his body…parts together so they can be buried.'_

The General spoke a little gruffly. "Well, you know there are lots of casualties to deal with, so as soon as the bodies are identified we're cremating them and burying them in community graves."

Ianto shut his eyes as he felt tears threatening. The King angrily grabbed the phone from Ianto and shut off the speaker.

"General. I'm ordering you to do exactly as Ianto has asked. I wouldn't be here to give this order if it wasn't for that man." The King listened for a bit going pale as the General described the scene in the Nash Gallery. He moved away from Ianto and whispered into the phone, "I don't care if you have to scrape him off the floor and walls, get it done." Another pause. "Are we finished here, because really, I'd like to get out of this room?"

The King ended the call and tossed the phone back to Ianto. "Guess I can open that door now, or are you going to Taser me again if I try."

'_No, go right ahead.' _The King walked over and turned the knob. Nothing happened. He turned and looked at Ianto in panic and saw that Ianto was walking over to one of the steel cabinets.

'_Must have slipped my mind…there's a second switch that also has to be activated.' _Before the King could say anything Ianto continued, '_And thanks about Aaron. I know he's just one of many, but…' _Ianto didn't finish the thought as he needed to put his phone down in order to turn the second knob.

The door opened.

Jack woke up alone on Jantorus Minor. He had no idea how long it had taken him to regenerate. He had only been blown up once before during the incident with the 456 and it had taken several days then for him to become whole. Somehow he knew that this time it had taken considerably longer.

As he looked around he realized that there were no remains of the Master in sight. The Doctor and the Master's Tardis were missing. 'At least he didn't strand me without a way to get home,' Jack thought. He smiled realizing that he had called Earth his home. 'Well it is at least for as long as Ianto and Aaron are alive.'

He was too weak to stand but managed to crawl over to the remaining Tardis. He pulled on the door but it wouldn't open. "Come on love, I know you're mad that the Doctor left you, but it's a little cold out here." He swore he could feel the Tardis sulking. "Sweetheart, its cold, I'm naked, not a good combination." Slowly the door of the Tardis swung open.

He crawled inside and collapsed. Hours later he was able to find his way to his room. He dressed, found something to eat and went back to the control room. "Now no screw up this time, I don't want to be coming back two years in the future." He set the coordinates but the Tardis balked.

"Ok, do you have some date in mind?" The Tardis beeped and showed him a meeting in the large Torchwood London auditorium. He could see that it was a similar group to those whom he had addressed prior to the invasion. The only familiar face he caught was Mickey looking exactly as he had when Jack left.

'That's good, thought Jack, it can't be too far in the future.' He laughed; he was only a thousand years in the future, so anytime Mickey was still alive would be considered a brilliant jump through the time/space continuum.

As the Tardis made the jump, Jack decided to shower and smarten up a bit. 'Wouldn't do to show up looking like something the cat dragged in.' As he dried himself off after his shower, he glanced into the mirror hung over the sink. 'Crap! I've aged!'

As he thought about it, he realized that he had lived over a thousand years chasing the Master and while his aging process had slowed down it hadn't completely stopped. So a few gray hairs shouldn't surprise him. But the slight crow's feet around his eyes and the deeper laugh lines really threw him. 'I look almost as old as Ianto, but younger than Aaron, thank goodness. Wouldn't want to be the senior member of the spaghetti and poker night.'

Jack sighed. He realized how much he missed the little things about Earth. Things like dinner with Aaron, Ianto and Stephen. Like teasing Owen and Tosh about Kimiyo's four promotions in the last three years at Torchwood Osaka making her the youngest Senior Research Manager ever appointed. His weekly teleconferences with Gwen and Mickey. The smell and sounds of London. Meat Feast pizza and big band music.

The Tardis made the telltale sound of landing. "Listen," Jack said touching the walls of the Tardis. "You need to find the Doctor. You belong with him. That other Tardis can't be any good and I'm worried that the Master may have booby-trapped it or something. Go and find him." He gave her a final pat and cautiously opened the door.

He looked around and saw that he was clearly inside Torchwood London. 'Score one for our team,' he thought. As he got his bearings he realized he was just a short walk from the conference center. He headed toward it carefully avoiding any people by ducking into washrooms or storage lockers when he heard anyone coming. One corridor over from the auditorium, he heard voices and ducked into the men's washroom. When he heard voices at the door he quickly looked around for a place to hide. He spotted a newspaper, grabbed it and went into one of the stalls. He heard two men talking about a shortage of supplies and how medical facilities were struggling to keep up with treating all the injured people.

The date on the paper read May 15th, 2039. 'Score two for the team. I'm back about six weeks after the Toclafane invaded.' Then he glanced over the front page to find that there were an estimated twenty million casualties. That governments worldwide were experiencing significant unrest. That various nations and political groups within nations were at each others throats over the placing of blame.

'Time for Captain Jack to restore peace and order to planet Earth,' he thought a little smugly.

One of the men sighed. "I'd hate like hell to be Captain Jack about right now. When he gets back they're going to blame him for everything."

The second man agreed. "You can see they are setting him up for the fall. Why didn't he tell everyone sooner? Why didn't he stay around and help? Why didn't he get the Doctor to come to Earth? Why didn't he stand on his head and sing God Save the King?"

Another sigh. "That's one thing about being outside the law, beyond the UN, you become the perfect scapegoat for everyone else's incompetence."

Jack shook his head. He shouldn't have been surprised he thought. There were times when Jack really understood how much the Doctor hated and loved this planet. Well he wasn't out of the game yet. Let's see how they dealt with the new, improved, and finely aged Jack Harkness.

He opened the stall and went to wash his hands. The other two men glanced and him and then gasped.

Jack smiled his best smile. "Hey guys, sounds like you missed me. Why don't you fill me in a little more before I go and wrestle with the crocodiles."

Ianto and the King peered out to see a group of very young and very tired UK and UNIT soldiers. Everyone bowed to the King and then looked nervously at Ianto. Ianto had his professional mask back on so they couldn't tell what he knew or not. The leader of the group, a young UNIT lieutenant, was just getting off a cell phone.

"Right," she said. "We are going to walk up to the entrance of the tube station where escort vehicles will take you both to the UNIT medical facility." The troops quickly lined the stairs leading up to ground level.

Ianto and the King trudged up the stairs. "Sorry, lots of stairs, we don't have power on at the stations yet," the lieutenant said.

They were hustled into a black sedan with darkened windows which drove off at incredible speed. Ianto noticed that the streets were virtually disserted.

"We're still under a 24 hour curfew. We'll start lifting it little by little once we are certain that the Toclafane are completely destroyed and that we have control over the areas where people will be coming out. We should have radio communication up throughout London within the next eight hours so that we can provide direction for the populace."

"We've already begun to set up food distribution and medical sites, a hungry and injured population can be difficult to control. And we want to avoid looting or rioting."

They pulled up to the UNIT medical facility and walked through a cordon of troops into the building. The King was met by several members of his senior staff. Ianto was glad to see that Terrance, while wounded was alive. He recognized several others from the Palace but couldn't put names to the faces.

As a medic took him to an examination room, Ianto wondered how the rest of his friends had fared. Just as he was entering the room, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw a familiar face. He was elated to see Stephen, until that triggered memories of Aaron's death. The two men nodded their understanding and hugged each other tightly. And behind Stephen was Jonathan.

"Can I get in on the group hug?" Jonathan asked as he hopped over on crutches.

Ianto looked at Jonathan puzzled. "Yeah, caught some shrapnel while zapping a Toclafane. I never thought I'd see the inside of this place again." Ianto hugged Jonathan and allowed the medic to take him into the room.

"I'm going to stay with you Ianto, unless you want me to go. Is that OK?" Stephen asked. Ianto shook his head 'yes.'

As he said his goodbyes, Jonathan quickly told Ianto that Kelly and all the children were fine. Their home had sustained some damage but it was clear that Jonathan didn't really care. "So many have lost so much, can't really worry about a few shattered windows and some water damage."

The medic gave Ianto a surprisingly thorough exam and pronounced him to be in reasonably good shape. "I'm releasing you to Mr. Hamilton's custody; I believe there are some UNIT officers who want to have a debriefing with you."

Ianto sighed.

Stephen helped Ianto get dressed. He was surprised that Ianto looked as well as he did. No significant injuries, just a few scrapes on his left arm from walking along the narrow walkway and a bruised knee where he fell.

"Come on, let's get you home. You look exhausted and frankly you stink."

Ianto smiled. _'Thanks. Just remember that I spent a week with the King.'_

"Smelling like that? It's a miracle you didn't end up confined to the Tower."

Two UNIT officials did want to speak with Ianto, but Stephen took them aside and convinced them to postpone the conversation. "He's too tired. I know he looks fine, but I think he's not really had a chance to process…uh…everything."

Both officials knew about Aaron and didn't feel that they wanted to push the matter. They agreed to contact Stephen in a day or so to set up a meeting.

Stephen and Ianto were driven back to Stephen's home (formerly the Brigadier's house) under armed escort. The soldiers insisted on searching the house to make sure there was nothing amiss.

After the soldiers had left, Ianto turned to Stephen in utter bewilderment. _'What was that about?'_

Stephen teared up a bit as he looked at Ianto. "You know about Aaron, right?"

Ianto nodded.

"Well so does practically everyone in the UK. He's a bonafide hero. Oh, and so are you. But no sooner had the Toclafane been defeated than the conspiracy theories started. There are all sorts of wild rumors circulating. The Toclafane are coming back. Other aliens will be invading soon. Torchwood is behind the invasion. Jack Harkness killed the leader of the invasion. Harkness ran away and left Earth to fend for itself. Even Harkness joined with the enemy against planet Earth."

'_That's absolute rubbish. Jack would never help the Master.'_

"I know, and by the way no one is supposed to know about the Master. Not at least until Jack and Mickey decide what UNIT and other officials let alone the general populace should know."

Ianto suddenly felt very tired. Hearing that Aaron's sacrifice was recognized gave him some comfort. But then hearing that Jack's motivations were being questioned made him feel physically ill.

"So they are making sure that anyone linked to the chain of command isn't targeted by some nutjob."

Stephen saw Ianto go pale. "OK, let's get you cleaned up and in bed. Did you get much sleep when you were in the safe room?"

'_Honestly, very little. I had to keep guard over the King and when it was my turn to sleep I was too nervous to leave him on guard very long. And every time I closed my eyes…' _Ianto's voice trailed off.

Stephen helped Ianto into the shower. "I'll be right outside the door. Yell if you need anything." Stephen left Ianto some sweatpants and a T-shirt of his to sleep in. Once Ianto had showered and put on clean clothes, Stephen took Ianto into a spare bedroom and got him into bed.

'_Stephen, tell me what's been happening. Is everyone else OK?'_

"I will answer all your questions after you sleep. I promise. The medic gave me some sleeping pills for you," Stephen said handing a pill and a glass of water to Ianto. Ianto took the pill.

'_Oh god, Stephen, you're not hiding anything from me,' _Ianto said as he felt a shiver of fear pass through him.

"Of course not. But there's a lot of stuff I want to tell you and I'm sure you'll have questions, and I think it'll go much better once you are reasonably coherent. It's early evening now, and I'm not planning on waking you until tomorrow morning. My bedroom is just down the hall. If you need anything come and get me. Ok?"

Ianto nodded. He could feel his eyes already drooping. Shit he was tired.

Stephen switched off the light but left the hall light on a dimmer. "Oh, the bathroom is right across the hall, I'll leave a light on in there for you."

Ianto didn't answer as he was already asleep.

'Good thing he was too tired to do his empathic stuff on me.' Stephen thought. Tomorrow is soon enough for him to hear the rest of the bad news.'


	81. Picking Up The Pieces

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and his friends at Torchwood try to pick up his pieces of their lives. This chapter is rated G/PG.

_**Title is from: Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over." Gloria Naylor**_

_**AN: Artwork for this chapter may be found at artwork_avivb at livejournal dot com.**  
_

* * *

Ianto woke the next morning feeling a bit hazy. The sleeping pills had really knocked him out, but even with eleven hours of sleep, he still felt a bit off kilter.

As he got out of bed, there was a knock on his bedroom door. Ianto opened it to see Stephen with a mug of coffee. "I know it's not as good as yours, but I thought you could use a little caffeine."

_'I feel like I slept for a week. And I still feel tired and logy.'_

"I know you've been on MREs for a week, so I thought I'd make you a cooked breakfast."

_'I know you're going to think I'm daft, but I'd really like to take another shower. I hate to ask you, but do you have any clothes that will fit me?'_

Stephen smiled. "I went over to your house after you fell asleep last night and got you some clothes."

'_I know you have keys, but isn't the curfew still on?'_

"Like I told you, you're a hero now, all I had to do is call Mickey and he had an escort take me over there. Hang on a moment." Stephen left the doorway and then reappeared a few minutes later with a large duffle. "I didn't know what you'd need, so I just grabbed some of everything," he said as he dumped the duffle out on the bed.

'Stephen wasn't kidding.' Ianto thought. Inside the duffle were a random collection of shirts, trousers, socks, underwear along with several sweaters and a jacket. Ianto began to carefully fold the items and put them in a dresser.

"Ok, try not to take until noon to get that done will you, I'm starving." Ianto nodded. As he picked up one of the sweaters he paled as he realized that it was one of Aaron's. By the size of it, Stephen knew immediately what had happened.

"Oh shit," Stephen said as he began to cry. 'Hell,' thought Ianto as he let a few tears fall as well. Ianto silently berated himself, 'you lost your partner, but Stephen lost a brother and you never really thought how he'd be feeling.'

Ianto motioned Stephen over to him and hugged him tight. Stephen sobbed and Ianto realized that Stephen had had no one to share his grief with. "He saved me Ianto, without him I'd be lying in a gutter somewhere if even alive. I never really told him how much I appreciated everything he did for me, that both of you did for me really."

Ianto nodded and rubbed Stephen's back until he finished crying. Picking up his phone, he typed_, 'he knew Stephen, and he was happy to do it. He loved you so much. He was much closer to you than he was to his sisters. Fuck, I'll have to call his sisters won't I? This is going to sound terrible, but I'm actually glad that Ronit isn't alive to see this. At least she was spared having to bury him. Actually, I'm glad my mother isn't alive to see this either. She would have been totally bewildered by it, probably blaming the IRA.'_

Stephen wiped his eyes, feeling a little embarrassed. "Ok, time to go sort out breakfast. You get in the shower."

A half hour later, Ianto came into the kitchen to see Stephen just finishing up some pancakes. Stephen cooking was surprising enough, the fact that everything looked and smelled so good was almost unbelievable to Ianto. Stephen thought it was probably due to the fact that Ianto hadn't had real food for a week, so anything cooked was bound to seem wonderful.

'_Don't sell yourself short, you really are a good cook. And considering what happened the last time you gave me something home made, I'm only surprised that I'm still lucid.'_

"Funny, Ianto, very funny."

As they finished breakfast, Stephen told him that Mickey would be stopping by later in the day but that there were some things he needed to tell Ianto first. Ianto felt his heart drop.

"Ok, guess you've got some bad news for me." Stephen could see that Ianto had put his serious face on and was keeping himself under tight control.

"Do you feel up to talking about Aaron?" Ianto nodded. Stephen had been contacted by the palace staff shortly after Aaron's death and informed as to what had happened. He like Ianto had expressed a desire for Aaron's remains to be returned for burial in the family plot.

"Initially they said 'no' but someone must have talked some sense into them. You maybe?"

'_The King actually.' _Stephen's mouth formed an 'O.'

"Anyway, you do realize it will have to be closed coffin, right?" Ianto nodded. Stephen reached in his pocket and pulled out Aaron's wedding ring. "They weren't sure if you wanted his ring or if you wanted it to be buried with his...uh… remains."

_'With him.'_

"I hope I'm not being rude, but may I ask what the inscription means?"

Ianto smiled through his tears as he thought back about the drama surrounding the purchase of rings. Ianto hadn't wanted to exchange rings, but Aaron had his heart set on this one gesture of union. Since Ianto had vetoed any formal celebration with friends and family along with anything else that resembled a wedding (much to Aaron's disappointment) he felt he couldn't refuse this one request by Aaron.

He had snuck off one afternoon from work and made his way over to a Judaica store in central London. When he explained what he was looking for the young lady behind the counter was very helpful. An older man walked by several times frowning at them and shaking his head. The young woman rolled her eyes, "My grandfather is a bit old fashioned, I'm afraid," she whispered, but I think it's lovely that you want to have an appropriate ring for your partner."

Knowing that Aaron was not someone who would want to wear something that was ornate and that for security reasons (let alone anti-Semitism) he wouldn't want something that had Hebrew prominently displayed, Ianto finally chose a plain gold band with Hebrew engraving inside:

**אני לדודי ודודי לי **(Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li) (picture of the ring at artwork_avivb at livejournal dot com).

Ianto startled a bit when he realized he had been lost in thought for a couple of minutes.

'_Sorry about that, I was just remembering…. Anyway the inscription is 'I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.' It's from the Song of Solomon.'_

"So does your ring have something engraved inside?"

'_Yes, but I won't tell you what. You'll just have to outlive me to find out.'_

Ianto wanted the remains interred as quickly as possible, but Stephen told him that a funeral had been arranged for early the following week.

"Well, things are still in a bit of a mess, and the King wants to attend, and I was able to get a chaplain from the Royal Marines who knew Aaron to officiate and he's a rabbi and there's one other thing..." Stephen's voice trailed off.

Ianto felt like he had a cold lump of lead in his stomach.

"There have been some deaths in Cardiff."

'Oh god, please not my family,' Ianto thought.

"Your sister and David and Claire and Rose and Mica and her husband are fine. Johnny died of a heart attack during the first wave of invasion. It was instantaneous; he didn't suffer. The funeral is Friday. Oh yeah, today is Wednesday. So we will be driving with escort to Cardiff tomorrow if that's alright."

'_What else. I can tell that there's something else.'_

"Kimiyo Sato-Harper was killed in the battle at Osaka."

Ianto nodded._ 'I was afraid of that.'_

"They haven't found her body and Tosh, Owen and Ricky are despondent. And there have been some injuries. Andy Davidson lost an eye, but he's otherwise fine. And Gwen…she took a glancing blast from a Toclafane and… she's paralyzed. The doctor's say she'll never walk again. Rhys and their children are OK…"

Ianto covered his face with his hands. It was almost too much to take in. A week ago everything was fine. And then everything changed. And Torchwood was ready, but the results were still disastrous.


	82. Cherished

******MY APOLOGIES! I MISSED POSTING THIS CHAPTER! THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED BEFORE ACCUSATIONS AS IT FOLLOWS 'PICKING UP THE PIECES.' i'VE REPOSTED 'ACCUSATIONS' SO YOUR COMMENTS MAY LOOK OUT OF ORDER. **

******SUMMARY: **Ianto and Rhiannon say goodbye to their spouses. This chapter is **rated G/PG.**

_**Title is from: "He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry**__**  
**_

* * *

The events of the next two weeks rushed by Ianto in a blur. Years later, Ianto only had vague recollections about the drive to Cardiff with Stephen. He recalled standing with his sister as Johnny was lowered into the ground, Rhiannon so steadfast while David and Mica cried softly. There was a minister who spoke but Ianto had no memory of what he had to say. Due to the curfews and travel restrictions in place, the family hadn't been able to hold a visitation before the funeral so they invited everyone back to the house afterwards.

He would never forget going back afterwards to Rhiannon's house, to find Gwen and Rhys waiting there. And Gwen, beautiful Gwen, sitting in the wheelchair with a smile on her face.

"Sorry we couldn't make the funeral, the ground was a bit too muddy to get the chair through," she said. "And Aaron, we are truly heartbroken about Aaron."

Ianto took one look at her and burst into tears.

Rhys put an arm around his shoulder. "Oi," he said softly, "all things considered, we got off lucky. Our kids are OK, and Gwen isn't letting this get her down. So don't you start moping about it."

Ianto nodded and wiped his eyes.

'_It's just everything really. I feel overwhelmed by the carnage, the loss, the grief. And for the first time, I feel afraid for the future. Even with the 456, I never felt so afraid.'_

"Remember when Jack said the 21st Century is when it all changes," Gwen said. "Do you reckon that this is what he was talking about."

Ianto nodded. '_He once told me that something catastrophic was going to happen on Earth sometime before the mid-century mark. He said that the records were sketchy, so he wasn't sure what exactly happened but that we had to be prepared.'_

"What I don't understand is why there wouldn't be better records. We have digital records now of everything. Why would no one remember?" Rhys pointed out.

'_I think it might be that by the 51__st__ Century mankind has been gone so long from Earth and there is so much more history from many different planets, that maybe over time, the things that are remembered about Earth have been distilled down to just a few basic facts.'_

Gwen added, "That's a good point, by then would anyone care about the Kings and Queens of England or what the state flower of California was, or who the Premier of China at any given point was during this century?"

'_But they probably could name the last five Presidents of the Interplanetary Exploration Association,'_ Ianto replied. _'Listen, I need to go see how my sister and the kids are doing. I really appreciate you coming. Could you make sure Tosh and Owen know that I understand why they didn't attend. And please let me know as soon as they hear anything about Kimiyo.'_

"We will, I promise," Gwen replied. "We're going to do our best to come for Aaron's funeral next week." Ianto gave her a kiss and Rhys a hug and wandered off toward the kitchen where he heard his sister's voice.

"There you are, I wondered where you got off to," said Rhiannon. Ianto started to explain but Rhiannon waved him off. "Then Stephen told me you were visiting with Gwen and Rhys, poor woman. She's still as beautiful as ever, even if she can't walk."

Ianto was a bit startled by Rhiannon's insensitivity. David whispered in his ear, "Yeah she's been hitting the bottle pretty hard the last few days. Mostly for courage, I suspect. But Claire and I will be keeping an eye on her, so please don't be worried."

Claire and Rose, who was nine, wandered over. Claire whispered to David, "Your Mum's getting pretty loaded, please see if you can't change the conversation before someone takes offense." Ianto crouched down and spoke to Rose while David made his way over to his mother.

"If I could have your attention, please," David said to everyone. "I'd like to propose a toast to my Tad, who was a grand man all round." David continued on sharing his fondest memories about Johnny, serious moments and funny stories. When David was done speaking everyone drank to Johnny's memory,

David continued. "I'm afraid there has been one additional casualty we must report."

Ianto took in a breath afraid of what David had to say. He was surprised to see slight smiles on some of the faces. "Yes, we had another heart attack in the family. Mr. Mumbles also passed away during the invasion. He was twenty-one years old and frankly it was long over due. So let's drink a toast to Mr. Mumbles, the nastiest, orneriest, most disagreeable cat in Wales." Everyone laughed as they had another drink.

"Alright Mum, let's hear the story about how you and Johnny met."

Rhiannon wiped her eyes and began to reminisce about meeting Johnny in high school along with everything that led up to them getting married.

Ianto backed out of the crowd in the kitchen and went into the lounge. Mica came in a few moments later. '_So how did Edinburgh weather the invasion?'_

"We were barely touched. London and Cardiff had much more damage than we did. Mostly we have some destruction of communications transmitters, and police stations, but not much else. Some casualties to people who were using the transmitters along with a handful of others. I think less than a hundred persons overall. Lucky really."

'_Did you ever imagine a day would come when a hundred casualties would be considered lucky?' _Ianto said shaking his head ruefully.

Micas's husband, Stuart joined them. "I heard about the Harpers' daughter," he said solemnly. "Rotten luck that." Ianto nodded. Stuart was a brilliant theoretical physicist, but Ianto always thought he lacked a bit in the social graces. Still, Mica adored him, so Ianto generally gave him a pass.

Over the course of the afternoon, Ianto knew he had spoken to dozens of other people, neighbors from Johnny and Rhiannon's estate, old work mates of Johnny but he couldn't later recall who they were or what they said.

As it got toward evening, Ianto started looking around for Stephen. He found him outside organizing games for some of the children that had been dragged to the house by their parents.

'_Wow, Stephen playing games with the kiddies. I wish I had a camera so I'd have evidence of this to hold over you.'_

"I really don't know anyone except you and frankly, I still get a bit twitchy being around so many people drinking."

'_Sorry, I never even thought about that…'_

"No problem, it's just best for me to stay away from temptation."

Not long after they made their goodbyes and Ianto slept most of the drive back to London. It was a long and exhausting day and he was glad to put it behind him.

It was shear luck that Aaron's funeral didn't turn into a three-ringed circus. Given his 'hero' status, and the King's possible attendance, the press swarmed around the cemetery. Ianto didn't want a big fuss made as he felt it would look bad for this funeral to get so much attention when so many people had lost loved ones. Nonetheless, UNIT troops were posted at every entrance to the cemetery and only those on a pre-approved list were allowed in.

This proved fortuitous as there were a few attempts at gate crashing ('I'm Aaron's cousin from Liverpool, I swear it') as well as attempts by some the press to climb over the fence surrounding the cemetery.

What they didn't expect was the number of few people who had to be given last minute clearance. Ianto had tried to think of everyone who needed to be admitted, but in the confusion and the disarray that still prevailed, people were inevitably left off the list. Ianto's close co-workers including Martha (and Tom) and Mickey were formally invited, but numerous other Torchwood employees just showed up. In addition to his family from Cardiff and Gwen and Rhys, Owen, Tosh, and Ricky came as well. A few of Ianto's childhood friends came, not knowing that they needed clearance.

One of the Brigadier's retired UNIT Commanders who was well in his ninety's arrived along with a group of high ranking UNIT officers. Ianto was shocked that their former neighbor, Mrs. Goldsmith was there, her daughter having brought her from the nursing home she had been living in for the last several years. A few minutes before the service was scheduled to start a large UNIT bus pulled up filled with men and women who had trained under and worked along side Aaron in the Royal Marines. They had traveled the better part of a night from the commando training center at Lympstone to attend the funeral and it took time to clear everyone through security. Aaron's sister Tamara was able to get to the funeral from Israel only because Mickey pulled some strings and got her a spot on a UNIT flight from Tel Aviv the night before.

And then there was the King. Ianto had been told he wasn't going to attend but he apparently changed his mind at the last minute. He showed up just as the last UNIT attendees were being cleared which again delayed the service.

The only person who missing that Ianto was upset about was Jack. No one had heard a word from Jack Harkness since the beginning of the invasion.

As the guests were slowly checked for security clearances Ianto finally had a chance to speak to Tosh and Owen. After expressing his condolences and receiving theirs he was surprised by Tosh's announcement.

"We're going to fly to Osaka on the first available commercial flight. Mickey's gotten us a priority booking so we may be leaving as early as the weekend. I don't know how long we'll be there but we're not coming back until we find out what happened to Kimiyo." Tosh began to cry and Ianto took her into his arms.

_'Shhh, she's a hero just like Aaron. Everyone who stood up to the Toclafane gave Jack the time he needed to defeat the Master.'_

"It's a nice thought," Owen replied. "But they should have never let Torchwood Osaka mount their own defenses. That was a huge mistake. I don't know if we'll ever be able to totally forgive Jack and Mickey for it."

Ianto didn't know what to say. Tosh and Owen were right, but mistakes were bound to be made when trying to protect the entire planet. Still, Ianto had to admit that this was a classic case of the shoemaker's children going barefoot. They were so focused on making sure that every country had the equipment they needed, it was easy to forget that Torchwood's stance that they were outside the government, above the law, left them vulnerable. Some countries like India included protecting Torchwood facilities as part of the planning, while others like Japan did not.

Stephen came over to where they were standing to let Ianto know that the last of the guests had been cleared. Two hours after the funeral was scheduled to start, they were finally able to begin.

Fortunately, the service was short. There was an honor guard from the Royal Marines present, a bugler played the Last Post and Aaron's coffin was draped with the flag of the United Kingdom as well as Israel. The Rabbi made a few remarks on what he thought a hero was. Ianto would never forget the Rabbi saying that real heroism wasn't just dying to save a king but living each day facing everyday problems and persevering through good times and bad. Ianto noticed that the King was frowning during the remarks.

Stephen spoke next telling everyone how his brother had helped him through some tough times and had never turned his back on him. Ianto didn't speak as he didn't trust his emotions and knew that he lacked the words to express how deeply he felt the loss of Aaron. Mica read a short statement from him saying he mourned along with everyone who had lost loved ones during the invasion.

He and Stephen and Tamara received visitors at Stephen's residence for several days. Many of the attendees at the funeral had to immediately return to work as they had critical roles in the efforts to restore some sense of normalcy to Britain. And numerous others from UNIT and Torchwood couldn't be relieved for the funeral and wanted to stop by and pay their condolences. By the end of the weekend following the funeral, Ianto felt completely drained. He thought he could sleep for a week, but he too was needed at back at Torchwood London the next week.

On Monday, Ianto drove Tamara over to Heathrow where she would once again be transferred via military transport back to Israel. While the airport wasn't open for commercial travel, Ianto was amazed to hear that the first commercial flights might begin again within a couple of days. As he drove back to his house, he noticed that the city seemed to be getting back to normal. Most of the curfews had been lifted except for a few neighborhoods where looting was a problem. Some shops were beginning to open, a few essential businesses were operating on a limited schedule and the immediate problems of food, water, sanitation, electricity and medical care seemed to be under control with distribution points set up around the city.

He switched on the radio to hear the latest news. Most of it related to schedules for the various distribution centers, where to go if you needed medical help, where to call if you had an emergency and the like. As he pulled up to his home, he was startled to hear a reporter say, "The UN Security Council has issued a request for an investigation of Torchwood's performance during the recent invasion. Some members of the Security Council question whether more could have been done to prepare for the attack and specifically whether the head of Torchwood, Captain Jack Harkness withheld critical information from the Council during the run-up to the invasion."

Ianto was so angry he had to sit in the car for several minutes before his hands would stop shaking. 'Bastards,' he thought. 'You fucking little bastards. Wasted almost nine months dithering about whether you thought there was really going to be an invasion and now you're going to try to pin any blame on Jack. And he isn't here to defend himself. Lovely. Just lovely.'

There were things that Ianto knew that no one but he and Jack and a few commanders at UNIT knew about the discussions with the UN. He didn't know how UNIT would react to this news, but as far as he was concerned the UN had declared war not only on Jack but on all of Torchwood. And by god they weren't going to get away with it. 'You are so going to regret this. You want to play rough, fine. Let the games begin,' he thought as he got out of the car. As far as he was concerned preparations for battle would begin first thing when he arrived at work the following morning.


	83. Accusations

**********MY APOLOGIES! I MISSED POSTING THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER! THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED AFTER CHERISHED. I'VE REPOSTED BOTH CHAPTERS BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE ONLY RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS FOR THIS ONE NOT CHERISHED. SORRY - THAT'S WHY I SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO TAKE A VACATION!**

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and Mickey prepare for Torchwood's defense before the UN Security Council. This chapter is rated G/PG.

_**Title is from: **__**When one person makes an accusation, check to be sure he himself is not the guilty one. Sometimes it is those whose case is weak who make the most clamour. Piers Anthony**_  
_**  
**_A/N: My apologies to the French. I had to pick an industrialized nation to be unprepared and you just got lucky. It really could happen to any nation that put politics first (and you have noted hopefully, that I haven't given the US a free pass here either). Thank goodness we had a women president in 2039 with some balls!

* * *

Ianto stormed into Jack's office first thing the next morning. Mickey looked up the computer on Jack's desk and sighed.

"So you've heard. Can you believe the nerve of those do-nothings over at the UN? Can you fill me in on what really happened; I may not have always gotten on famously with Jack but even I know he would never do anything that was contrary to the Earth's interests."

It took some time for Ianto to explain the intricacies of the past two years of negotiations. He finally reached the crux of the problem.

'_Too many at the UN either didn't believe that there were aliens, or believed that since Torchwood was under charter by the British Crown, that it was some ploy to manipulate other countries into actions that would be advantageous to the United Kingdom. Of course they could never articulate what those alleged advantages were, but despite all the information they had and the new rifts developing around the world, the concept of an actual alien invasion was too much to accept.'_

"So they lost nine months bickering about what role the UN should play, how and what to tell the Earth's population about the invasion, how resources would be allocated and all the rest," Mickey surmised. "But then how was the planet so well prepared?"

'_Twenty million lives lost would not be considered well prepared in a lot of people's views, but you saw the casualty estimates of at least one hundred million lives if no preparations were made. After about three months of infighting, Jack and the head of UNIT approached heads of states privately in order to get production of the Tasers and other defensive equipment started. Not surprisingly, the biggest help came from China and India. They have the manufacturing capacity and let's not kid ourselves, having weapons ready to help other countries wasn't going to hurt their standing worldwide.'_

"I'm surprised that the Americans and Western European countries didn't help more."

'_That's the problem with politics. No one in power in those nations wanted to take the chance of going behind their parliaments' backs. If they got caught, they'd be voted out, or the government would fall which would spell political disaster for the leaders. The non-democratically run countries generally had a much easier time commandeering production, maintaining secrecy and reaching a high level of readiness.'_

"And yet China still took a terrible hit. Over three and a half million casualties mostly in the industrial cities. I'm amazed that their citizens stayed at the factories to keep production going until they were destroyed. And while India did evacuate their major industrial locations, they never hesitated to take Torchwood's warnings seriously."

'_For China, even with greater personal freedoms, the good of the nation over the good of the individual is something that's ingrained in their populace from practically the time they are born,' _Ianto explained_._

'_India was a miracle. Someone in the Indian parliament said that given the country's familiarity with the fantastic gods and demons from Hindu mythology, invaders from outer space didn't seem all that outlandish. So they accepted the evidence and immediately took steps toward readiness. '_

"They lost, was it almost three million people?"

Ianto nodded.

"I spoke to General McGregor at UNIT this morning and we can't rely on any real support from them. Since they aren't being implicated, they are taking a position of neutrality on the charges being levied against Torchwood. I think that eventually they will get criticism as well and may have to stand up, but right now they aren't willing to get involved in political squabbles. So what do we do, Ianto? I agree that ideally we should wait for Jack to return, but we don't know when that will be. The longer this story is out there without a response, the worse its going to look for Torchwood and Captain Jack."

They decided that they would wait a while longer before issuing a response and proceeded to gather information on the various countries on the Security Council.

The five permanent members of the council had suffered terrible casualties, but the percentage of the population killed varied quite a bit between nations. The United States had conspicuously low casualties, but that was due to the President circumventing the Congress and authorizing the Pentagon to make preparations necessary to the defense of the United States. She was in the last two years of her eight year Presidency and believed that her legacy depended on a successful defense for the United States. If she was duped, then she'd be remembered as a fool, but if she ignored the warnings and the attack materialized, she would be remembered as perhaps the worst president in history.

Russia and France had higher than expected casualties. Russia was well prepared, but Torchwood, UNIT and the UN had all underestimated the ferocity of the Toclafane attack. No one could figure out why Russia was so heavily targeted, but speculation centered on the almost inhuman suffering that Russian troops had withstood during the German invasion during WWII, and whether the Toclafane had overcompensated in order to assure victory.

France simply wasn't prepared. Their President and UN representatives had scoffed at the idea of an alien invasion and only got serious about six months prior to the attack. And when the public announcement of the impending attack was made, their parliament refused to cooperate with approving defense plans.

Of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council only France supported the resolution calling for an investigation of Torchwood and its leader Jack Harkness.

Of the ten non-permanent members, six countries, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Pakistan, Bolivia, Nigeria and Germany supported the resolution while the other four, Peru, Italy, India and Jordon did not. Nigeria went so far as to demand that Director Harkness be referred to the International Criminal court for prosecution for genocide.

The other four permanent members of Security Council declined to veto the resolution as they felt that Torchwood would be able to defend themselves against such charges and knew that most of the countries voting for the resolution were doing so to deflect blame from their own governments. Better to let the truth come out they reckoned, than to allow blame and suspicion to linger.

For the next month, Mickey and Ianto worked tirelessly trying to settle the matter quietly. While they had records of all their meetings with the Security Council the absence of Jack Harkness would invariably lead to questions that only he could answer. Ianto put aside his personal anger and did his best to persuade members of the Security Council that a public hearing on the matter was not in their best interests. Unfortunately, the politicians of the lead countries had put Torchwood forward as the cause of all their nations' failings and they couldn't back down even in the face of evidence to the contrary.

"But we have the French Ambassador to the UN on record mocking the whole idea of an alien attack. Weren't his exact words, 'the English want us to waste our energy and capital on a useless exercise predicated on little green men from Mars showing up in a few years.' And the Indonesian government along with others refused to even discuss mounting a defense. How can he deny that this happened?"

'_Perhaps they don't remember or they'll deny what was said and accuse us of manipulating the recordings. We've given them every chance to resolve this without humiliating them, but now I don't think we have any other choice. And I hate to admit it; I'm rather looking forward to taking some of these arrogant gits down a couple of pegs._ _There are going to be some very embarrassed UN and government officials by the time this was all over.' _

Finally, six weeks after the Toclafane were defeated; a public hearing concerning Torchwood's culpability was scheduled. The Torchwood team was assembled once again in the main auditorium in London with hookups to the UN and governments around the world. To the chagrin of many governments, Torchwood would be providing live coverage via satellite and on the Internet. With a worldwide audience expected to be in the hundreds of millions both sides were well prepared for the showdown.

'If only Jack were here,' Ianto sighed as he reviewed his testimony one last time. 'We can easily defend Torchwood's actions leading up to the invasion, but we having nothing on the actions or whereabouts of Captain Jack. And without him, they will still be able to distract people from the truth. I can't wait to see the conspiracy theories that are launched after today's meetings.'

Ianto checked his watch and saw it was almost 9:00 hours. 'It's show time,' he thought as he left his office and began the short walk over to the auditorium.


	84. Inquiry

SUMMARY: The UN investigation into Torchwood's role during the invasion begins. This chapter is rated G/PG.

Title is from: As one may bring himself to believe almost anything he is inclined to believe, it makes all the difference whether we begin or end with the inquiry, 'What is truth?' Richard Whately

A/N: Ok, we're back on track after a brief timey-whimey chapter mix-up.  
Pictures of the various Doctors may be found at: artwork_avivb dot livejournal dot com.

If nothing else, take a look at Doctor #16! and let me know what you think.

* * *

The Head of the UN Security Council, Dr. Ing called the "Inquiry into the Conduct of Torchwood during the Invasion of the Toclafane" to order promptly at 15:00 hours London time. He reviewed a laundry list of items that would have made no difference in the outcome of the invasion but Ianto knew could be pretty damning for Torchwood if they were spun the right way.

"Specifically, we will be examining whether Torchwood disclosed all relevant information about the invasion at the earliest possible opportunity, whether they were part of a conspiracy with some member nations to leave other member nations ill equipped to face the invaders and finally, whether Captain Jack Harkness engaged in criminal conduct while absent from Torchwood during the critical battle."

'Well we know answers to all of those questions, but of course without Jack its going to be hard to prove our facts,' Ianto reckoned.

But what really galled Ianto were Dr. Ing's final remarks. "Based on the outcome of this Inquiry, the Security Council will make recommendations on actions to be taken by the General Assembly. These may include anything from resolutions declaring actions by specific parties as unsupportable to sanctions against nations or organizations to referral to the International Criminal Court for prosecution of war crimes up to and including genocide."

'I see, because some nations refused to prepare properly, we're going to be charged with genocide,' Ianto thought. It took all of his control to mentally calm himself. 'Won't help to go off on them, just make us look guilty.'

The format of the session was predictable. Evidence relevant to each item would be presented by the Council, followed by Torchwood's presentation. The floor would then be open to questions from the other members of the Security Council to Torchwood or the UN presenters. Torchwood would then be allowed to follow up with questions of their own. The biggest problem that Torchwood faced was that the Security Council held all the cards. They decided whether items could be submitted as evidence, who could be questioned as well as how long questioning could go on.

The presentation by the UN on the issue of who knew what when dragged on for several hours. It was clear that the actual information the UN had on when Torchwood (and by extension Jack Harkness) first knew of the invasion was almost non-existent but that didn't prevent them from asserting that Torchwood had information much earlier than thought. They also implied that critical data from the future were withheld to the detriment of many countries.

Ianto presented records of all the meetings that Torchwood had held with the UN starting with two years prior to the invasion. But he couldn't answer questions as to how much earlier Director Harkness had this information prior to the initial disclosure.

'_Director Harkness released the information when authorized by the Doctor.'_ Ianto explained. It proved very difficult to explain exactly who the Doctor was. '_He's a Time Lord; he makes sure that the Time Lines set in place aren't violated.'_

The Ambassador from France chuckled. "So you would have us believe that some man, some Superman from the future came to save Earth. And he knows Harkness personally, you say."

'_Actually the Doctor is a Gallifreyan. And yes, the Doctor not only knows Director Harkness, he has met with Commanders from UNIT over the years as well as members of the Royal Family of the United Kingdom.'_

"Yes of course, this sounds very plausible to me." The sarcasm in the Ambassador's voice was unmistakable.

"Now wait a moment," the Russian Ambassador interrupted. "Are you saying that you don't think the Toclafane came from somewhere other than Earth?"

"Well that's what we're here to determine."

"That's ridiculous; those invaders appeared simultaneously through several of the established rifts. You aren't seriously suggesting that some government on Earth was behind that, are you?"

The French Ambassador just smiled and shrugged. He asked Ianto when they could expect the Director's return.

Ianto of course didn't have any specifics as to when Jack might be returning. _'No we haven't had any communication from him since the start of the invasion. We know he left Earth and this time to find the source of the invasion and destroy it.'_

The Nigerian Ambassador spoke next. "So you really don't know if Mr. Harkness is on Earth or not. He could have been directing the Toclafane from a secret base in the Himalayans for all you know."

The American Ambassador was furious. "This is outrageous. If anyone on the Security Council actually believes that the invasion didn't come from off-Earth, I'd like them to speak up now." The silence was deafening. "Then I move that we leave discussion of this issue open for the testimony of Jack Harkness should he appear." There was general grumbling but in the end the Security Council decided to do just that.

After a short recess, they continued the inquiry. The issues surrounding whether Torchwood favored selected nations in the preparations to defend the Earth, initially focused on the Doctor. All members of the UN Security Council had heard of the Doctor, but none had met him and few understood who he was.

The Chinese Ambassador signaled that he wanted to speak. "I would like to present evidence made available to us by UNIT. They have opened their archives and provided us with documentation as to their relationship with the Doctor. You will find portions of some of the documents redacted due to security concerns. UNIT has also been kind enough to provide us with a retired General who has met the Doctor personally and worked with him on several occasions. You could say he is the unofficial UNIT Historian. He will start by giving us a little background on the Doctor, as well as his contacts with UNIT."

Ianto was shocked until he saw that it was General Chatterjee. 'My goodness,' he thought, 'he must be in his mid-eighties!' The General might have been ancient but his mind was still sharp and his memory excellent. He explained how UNIT had gotten to know the Doctor in the 1960s when the occasional alien incursion was being handled by the fledgling organization. "We didn't realize there were rifts in the time/space continuum on earth at that point in time; we actually thought that we were being invaded directly from space. And mostly that wasn't true."

As he showed pictures of the Doctor, the Council was startled by the various images they were being shown.

"Wait a moment," the German Ambassador requested. "Are you saying that these are all pictures of the same person…uh or being?" When the General answered yes, the Ambassador continued, "I don't understand, is he a chameleon or does he put on different disguises? These pictures can't possibly all be of the same person."

"He has multiple lifetimes. When he dies he is regenerated. We don't know how or why he takes a particular visage, but I have personally seen the Doctor in several regenerations. Before I joined UNIT, there was substantial contact with this Doctor with the white wavy hair. It was understood that he was the third incarnation of the Doctor. UNIT was just getting up to speed and he was instrumental in giving us the basic knowledge we needed to protect the Earth from alien incursions."

"I was a young recruit when this one here, with the curly hair and long scarf showed up at UNIT. That was, let's see, the mid- 1970s. There weren't many alien attacks, but one of them was quite serious."

"Never met the thin blond one, or the one with the bad taste in clothing." Some quiet laughter was heard as the pictures were displayed.

"Now Doctor number seven, we had a lot of contact with him in the late 1980s," the General said frowning. He saved the Earth on several ocassions. Don't know much about the next one but Doctor number nine helped the British Government fend off an alien takeover of their government in 2005. His regeneration only lasted a year or so, but he was very well respected by UNIT brass."

"The tall skinny one, number ten, with the running shoes showed up in 2006 at ….uh…Torchwood One when it was at Canary Wharf. To say that he saved the planet, would not be an understatement."

"UNIT had no real contact with the next several Doctors, though I believe the Doctor in his thirteenth regeneration visited Torchwood briefly in 2020. Now coming to our final Doctor number sixteen, this ginger one is the current Doctor."

The General also knew quite a bit of the history of the Doctor's relationship to the Royal Family, specifically Queen Victoria.

"Now Queen Victoria thought he was a threat. Did you know Torchwood was created by her specifically to protect the Crown from the Doctor?" Ianto winced. "But later rulers, Queen Elizabeth in particular, were well aware of the role that the Doctor played in saving the Earth not to mention the British government."

"You see, this is what we were afraid of," the French Ambassador interrupted. "There is a special relationship between the Doctor and the United Kingdom."

"While it is true that the Doctor knew the British Royals best, I do believe that he knew at least one French King, Louis the Fifteenth. Hmph, no I believe it was his Mistress Madame de Pompadour that he knew actually. Quite well in fact." While the General wasn't trying to be amusing there was some snickering from both Torchwood and Security Council members.

The General continued, "And I would hope Ambassador, that you would realize when I say that the Doctor has saved the Earth several times in the past that I mean all of us, not just the United Kingdom."

The Jordanian Ambassador was still puzzled. "But why? Why does he keep saving Earth?"

"That's a very good question," the General replied. "He always said that the Earth had a special place in his hearts… Oh, I forgot to mention he has two hearts. I always thought that his people might have their origins from Earth but I don't think he's ever explained."

The hearings were adjourned to be continued the following day. Ianto and Mickey grabbed a quick meal at the Torchwood cafeteria while Ianto browsed the Internet looking at the worldwide press reaction as well as political blogs from various nations.

'_Looks like we're holding our own. People seem to be more curious about Jack than disbelieving. Speculation seems to be coalescing around…oh shit… that Jack died saving the Earth._' Ianto's voice broke on his last word.

"Ianto, you know Jack can't die, so don't get yourself worked up over random speculation. I bet if you were to Google his name with just about anything you'd find someone putting forward some daft story. Here, give me your laptop."

Ianto pushed the computer across the table to Mickey. Mickey hit a few keys and began to read. "Well look at this," he said laughing, "I Googled 'Jack Harkness anti-Christ' and I got over one hundred hits." Mickey began to read. "'Any thinking person should realize that this Harkness is the anti-Christ.' That's from the Focus on the Children web site." Ianto looked puzzled. "You know one of those nutter religious groups. This next is from the official Vatican Blog. 'The only being that can be as powerful as God is the opposite of God.'"

He pushed the computer back to Ianto. Ianto continued to scan the entries and then snorted. Then he laughed.'_One of the responses on the FAUX News website to a blog entry titled Jack Harkness: Angel or Devil – We Report, You Decide, is, 'No you are wrong. The Doctor is the Anti-Christ, Harkness is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse._''

Ianto finally stopped laughing and wiped his eyes. _'Thank you Mickey you really know how to cheer a guy up. Though if you've ever seen Jack try to cook, it is a bit like the end of the world.'_

"Glad I could help. I think the worst Torchwood will come away with is a mild rebuke from the UN. It's clear that the Americans and the Russians and perhaps even the Chinese will veto anything more negative. But seriously, I'm worried about Jack. Even if the Security Council doesn't issue any sanction or recommendations for prosecution, there is nothing to prevent the International Criminal Court from going after Jack. And that could get very ugly. I'm still hoping that he'll find his way home before the hearings end."

'_Me too,'_ Ianto agreed sadly.


	85. Defense

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and Mickey defend Torchwood against accusations of favoritism and incompetence. This chapter is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: _**_**A faithful friend is a strong defense; And he that hath found him hath found a treasure.**__**Louisa May Alcott**__**  
**_

* * *

The inquiry dragged on for several more days. Several nations including France, and Nigeria had asserted that other nations were given preferential treatment to their disadvantage.

"Yes," the Nigerian Ambassador said, "it is clear that some nations had privileged status over others. Particularly those nations with whom the United Kingdom has not had the best relations were ignored until the last minute."

Ianto took each accusing nation in turn.

'_Let's start at the beginning. Director Harkness informed the United Nations Security Council of an impending invasion almost two years ago, at an emergency meeting held on May 26, 2010. Is there dispute any on that point?'_ Ianto asked.

No one disagreed.

'_Then I respectfully request that the fact that we all agree on this point be entered into the written record.'_

There was a bit of grumbling, but the head of the Security Council, Chinese Ambassador Ing instructed that the agreement be recorded.

'_I believe that the member countries of the Security Council are precisely the same as they were at the time of the announcement with the exception of the Ambassadors from Bolivia and Saudi Arabia. Am I correct?' He was. 'And everyone with the exception of these two Ambassadors and the Ambassador from Eritrea were present when Director Harkness made his remarks.'_

Once again Ianto asked that this fact be recorded and after some more complaining it was.

'_After debate and in conjunction with the Director Harkness' recommendation the UN chose a select number of member nations to begin to manufacture weapons, not only for their own defense but for all countries in their geographic proximity regardless of political considerations. Am I…'_

"Yes Director Jones," Ambassador Ing interrupted. He had worked with Ianto before and knew how precise he was with his facts. "Unless there are any objections, I would like to allow Mr. Jones' testimony to be assumed as factually correct for the record. Otherwise, I am afraid we will still be sitting here months from now. Any objections," the Ambassador said glaring around the room daring anyone to speak up. No one did.

'_Thank you Ambassador. The United States, Canada and Mexico agreed to jointly be responsible for equipping all of the Americas with Taser-based weapons. Unless it is necessary, I intend to skip over how each nation accomplished their commitments and merely state that these three nations successfully completed their commitments.'_ Ianto paused to see if anyone would disagree. No one did.

'_The United Kingdom, Spain, France and Russia were asked to manufacture weapons on behalf of Europe and all former Soviet Republics including several that Moscow had serious political differences with. France refused to be part of the plan and said that they would be responsible for their own defense. All nations in the European theater were successfully armed with the exception of France.' _

The French Ambassador strongly disagreed. "We were never told how serious the invasion might be. We had no reason to think that France would be targeted as heavily as it was."

'I'd like to replay a few of Torchwood's and UNIT's discussions with France, if you don't mind.'

"Those are confidential," the Ambassador objected, "I strongly protest them being played." Ambassador Ing overruled his request.

Ianto cued up a video of Jack and the Ambassador at UNIT headquarters a year before the invasion. "Je vous en supplie" … Jack began, "I beg you Ambassador, you're running out of time. France will not be prepared when the Toclafane invade if you don't start planning immediately."

"But we have nothing they would want to destroy with the exception of the UNIT headquarters which is outside of Paris proper. We can easily evacuate the area immediately surrounding this location."

"Ambassador, you have museums containing some of the greatest achievements of mankind. The Toclafane will not only target locations of strategic military importance but sites that contain artifacts representing the accomplishments of the human race. France is the center of art, culture, and intellectual discourse for the entire Western Hemisphere. The destruction of Paris would not only be a tragedy for your country but for the world."

'Oh Jack, you are a clever, clever man,' thought Ianto. 'What can the Ambassador say, 'no we don't think we are all that.' He really did try to everything to get nations to comply, but unfortunately, flattery just didn't work here.'

"That may be, but our government has done its own assessment of the situation and we feel you have exaggerated the threat. We don't know why, but I wouldn't put it past the British government to try to make us look foolish. France is, and will always be the greatest country in Europe."

"Ambassador, that is precisely why…"

"Enough! The discussion is over."

As the video conference ended, the transmission switched over to the room where Jack and several UNIT generals sat. Jack shook his head. "The French are going to be slaughtered by the Toclafane." One of the UNIT generals added," UNIT is going withdraw from any further efforts to convince them. We just don't have the time to waste on this. There are small nations, with no defensive capabilities where we need to equip and train their civilian populations to protect themselves or provide troops directly. That's where we need to concentrate our energies one year out."

"I'm going to keep trying, General. I can't let Paris be destroyed because of government gridlock. I think the Ambassador is in a tough position. Clearly his government can't come to an agreement on how to handle preparations for the invasion and he isn't free to express his own opinion which I believe may differ from his superiors. We'll have weapons ready for them even if they change their mind at the last minute."

'Brilliant,' thought Mickey. 'He's even given the Ambassador a way to save face. Now if he's only smart enough to take it.'

Ianto smiled. 'I'd love to have been a fly on the wall once the recording devices were turned off. OK mon ami, it's your move.' Out loud he said, _'the French government did no planning until ten days before the attack when Director Harkness made the announcement to the world at large. As you know, French citizens panicked and it became impossible to get all the equipment into Paris. By the first day of the attack, sixty-five percent of the Tasers had reached Paris but then there weren't sufficient staff trained or untrained to operate them. The results were 230,000 casualties, 85% of them in and around Paris. Still, when you look at the performance of the military and civilian population that remained in Paris and willing to fight, they did a remarkable job. Without their efforts, we estimate that the casualties would have been almost twice as many.'_

By the end of the discussion it was clear that the Ambassador was putting up little resistance. He subtly distanced himself from his actions referring to instruction from 'my government' that he was obliged to comply with.

And so it went. Nigeria came out looking even worse, when a video was shown of their Ambassador speaking about the expendability of the population in Lagos. "I'm sorry Director Harkness, but if there is one thing we have an excess of its people. So if we lose some it won't be a catastrophe. But if the government goes along with this plan, it will provide the rebels something to use against our political party's leadership.

After the testimony surrounding Nigeria's refusal of any help or weapons, there was a short recess. Ianto wasn't really surprised when the Nigerian Ambassador did not return to the hearing after the break.

'_Don't know if he was too embarrassed or if he's been removed from his position or if he's seeking asylum from another country', _Ianto told Mickey during a later recess_. 'I think he'll be imprisoned if not executed if he returns home.'_

"You'll have to excuse me if I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for him," Mickey replied. All Ianto could do was nod his understanding.

Accusations concerning Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were quickly dealt with. In these two cases, both countries were well equipped but were offered support from UNIT personnel but for political and religious reasons, additional forces were declined. While their militaries fought bravely, they just didn't have the troop strength to hold back the Toclafane.

Finally there was Indonesia. Of all the nations of Earth, Indonesia had the largest percentage of their population slaughtered by the Toclafane. Indonesia had felt they were not a strategic target and Torchwood, UNIT and the UN agreed. They accepted some weapons and trained their troops but their defensive capabilities were so limited they barely slowed the attack. They were also hampered by the inability to disperse the populous living in and around Jakarta. By 2039, Jakarta had almost eighteen million people living within the city limits and several more millions in the surrounding area. Three and a half million civilians lost their lives most of them brutally slaughtered by the Toclafane. Hundreds of years later, the ferocity of the attack still baffled historians.

The Indonesian Ambassador was surprisingly candid in his assessment of the disaster. "We all miscalculated, and we are all to blame," he said with tears in his eyes. "My government has authorized for me to state on their behalf that they want no organization or individual to face blame for what happened. Some things are the will of Allah and just must be accepted." The Ambassador hesitated. His voice broke as he spoke again. "I lost my whole family, my wife, my six children, twelve grandchildren, my mother, brothers and sisters and literally hundreds of other relatives from mine and my wife's families. As far as I know, I am the only one left."

Ianto felt himself tearing up. 'Poor bastard,' Ianto thought. Ianto expressed his condolences on behalf of himself and Torchwood. No one was surprised when the Ambassador committed suicide several months later.

This portion of the hearing wrapped up shortly thereafter. While a few countries still insisted that Torchwood had not supported their defense efforts fairly, the protests were muted and a few Ambassadors actually looked ashamed to be making such statements. 'That's politics for you,' thought Ianto, 'still it looks like we're going to end up quite well on this point.'

Much to his surprise, the Council decided to continue the hearing that day and begin its inquiry into whether Jack Harkness was negligent in his duty by leaving Earth at the time of the attack. Ianto and Mickey protested, but the Council was in no mood to compromise.

'It's almost like they feel they need to even the score,' Mickey thought.

The opening remarks by the Council were brief. If they had little of a substantive nature to bring to the table, Mickey had even less to refute their accusations. He didn't know where Jack was, neither he nor Ianto knew about the Master, all they could do was assert that the Toclafane began to malfunction due to something that Jack Harkness had done somewhere in space and time.

Ianto could see that the Council was getting prepared to wrap the hearings up. They had to do something to stall them. If they declared the fact-finding portion of the hearing closed, anything could happen to Jack. And Ianto was certain that whatever happened it wouldn't be good.

Mickey Smith requested that they be given twenty-four hours to locate Jack Harkness or find evidence of his off-world activities. While some members of the Security Council were reluctant to do so a majority felt that twenty-four hours wouldn't make a difference and would allow the Council to say that they had given Torchwood every opportunity to defend Director Harkness.

As the session ended, Ianto looked at Mickey shaking his head. '_We've tried to contact the Doctor to no avail. How is one additional day going to help us?'_

"It's all I could think of to do. Get us a little more time to see if we can't reach the Doctor. If nothing else, I'm going to sit down with our PR people first thing in the morning and prepare an eloquent tribute to Harkness' efforts to protect the Earth from the Toclafane. I don't know if they'll let me read the whole thing into the record, but even if I can't, I'll release it to the press once the hearing is adjourned."

Most people had left the auditorium. As Mickey and Ianto walked out they heard a small commotion in the hallway. There were voices shouting and people clapping. They opened the door and Mickey saw Jack Harkness standing down the hall surrounded by Torchwood employees.

"Thank goodness," Mickey said as he moved toward the group.

It took a moment longer for Ianto to understand what Mickey was talking about. Jack had been so profoundly changed, Ianto almost didn't recognize him, _'Jack, thank god you're back but what the hell have they done to you?' _Ianto thought as he began to run down the hall toward the others.


	86. An Ending But not THE Ending

**SUMMARY: **Jack is back. But what happened to him? And how is Ianto going to handle his return? This chapter is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: _****_The beginnings and endings of all human undertakings are untidy. John Galsworthy _**_**  
**_  
Mickey reached Jack first and couldn't stop himself from shaking Jack's hand furiously and slapping him several times on the back. "I never thought there'd be a day I be so happy to see you," Mickey stated.

* * *

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence Mickey, uh let's be careful you don't break my ribs there." Jack said smiling. "It's good to be back, you have no idea how good."

Ianto moved more tentatively toward Jack. 'He's aged, my god, he looks ten years older. How is that possible?'

The moment Jack saw Ianto coming towards him he moved out of Mickey's grasp in concern. 'Something is terribly wrong, behind that smile there is pain, so much pain I can hardly bear to look,' Jack thought.

Jack looked at Mickey his eyes pleading for an explanation. Mickey turned away so that Ianto couldn't see him as he whispered, "Aaron's dead." He didn't have time to say anything further as Ianto caught up with them.

As Ianto went to shake Jack's hand, he was startled when it was batted away and Jack enveloped him in a hug. "I'm so sorry Ianto, so sorry I should have been here for you."

Ianto pulled back to look Jack in the eye. '_Don't be an idiot._ _You're not to blame; you had to save the world after all.' _

While many of the employees surrounding Jack had politely backed away after welcoming him home, a few were still hovering close by. He could see the bone deep weariness in their postures and how worry was etched on each of their faces. Jack addressed the small group.

"It's good to be back, thank you all for doing a splendid job in my absence. Now if these two men have told me correctly," he said nodding to the men he met up with in the washroom, "I seem to be in a spot of trouble with the UN." A little nervous laughter was heard. "Don't worry kids, I'm back and I have a few surprises for the Security Council. But I think I'd better start working with my two esteemed colleagues here so I'm up to speed for the hearing."

As the rest of the employees melted away one of them turned back saying, "We won't let them railroad you Captain, don't you take any crap from the UN."

As the three remaining men headed toward Jack's office, Jack glanced over at Ianto who was lost in thought. 'He looks like a zombie. Wonder if he's been eating or sleeping. And the bags under his eyes…'

'..yeah well you don't look so good yourself…' he heard Ianto push back. Jack was startled to realize that he had been broadcasting so loudly.

"Looks like we've all taken quite a beating here," he said out loud.

Mickey smiled at Jack. "I think you've taken the biggest hit Captain Cheesecake. Didn't think that seven weeks without hair dye would make you look so old. And did you miss your last set of Botox injections?"

"Yeah, you got me Mickey Mouse. Vanity, thy name is Captain Jack."

They spoke for a short while and once Jack felt he had a handle on the situation, he suggested that they all get a good night's sleep and reconvene in the morning.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. We have all of tomorrow, I think that will be more than sufficient to get organized."

As Mickey and Ianto got up to leave Jack asked if Ianto could stay behind for a bit. They spoke a little about Aaron, but when Ianto asked why Jack had aged, Jack asked for Ianto's patience as he wasn't quite ready to talk about it. Ianto understood completely. After all anything that could make an immortal age that quickly must have been terrifying.

As Ianto and Jack headed toward the parking garage Jack realized that he didn't have a car on site. When he asked Ianto for a lift he was startled to hear Ianto suggest, _'why don't you come over and spend the night.'_

As he turned toward Ianto in disbelief, Ianto realized his error. '_Not like that, just come and use a guest room. I don't think either of us should be left completely on our own right now.' _Jack agreed.

As Ianto was driving, Jack took a call from Mickey on his cell phone. "Listen Jack, I've just spoken with Ambassador Ing and he's agreed to postpone reconvening the hearing for two additional days. The word of your return made it from London to New York City in less than an hour and he called to see if it was true. When he asked how you were, I almost said 'fine,' but then decided to see if I couldn't get us a little more breathing room. So I said you were exhausted. He had heard that you, and I quote; 'looked like hell' so I told him that things might be better if you had a few days to recuperate. Surprisingly he agreed. So why don't you and Ianto take the day off tomorrow and we'll get meet the following day.

"Yes sir," Jack laughed seeing how easily Mickey had taken on the leadership role.

"Crap, sorry Jack, I just got used to…"

"Mickey, I'm just giving you shit. Seriously, you did a great job, a truly amazing job while I've was gone. So if you wouldn't mind doing it for a bit longer, I'd really appreciate it."

Of course Mickey agreed but when they ended their call, Mickey wondered what had really happened to Jack.

'That sure isn't the Captain Jack I love to hate. He should be strutting around giving orders, but he seems like a beaten dog that just wants to be left alone.'

Jack awoke with a start the next morning. It took him a few moments to remember where he was. He wandered around looking for a bathroom finally remembering there was one near the kitchen.

He found a note on the refrigerator from Ianto telling him that he had gone to the grocery store as there wasn't anything for breakfast. It also told him that there were towels and a change of clothing in the guest bathroom but he couldn't remember where that was. Finally it dawned on him that it was probably back near the guest bedroom. He climbed back up to the second level and began to check every room. After finding his own bedroom again he realized that the bathroom was just on the other side of the bedroom door. 'Well it's been a thousand years, after all, don't beat yourself up because you couldn't remember where it was.'

He showered and dressed in what he thought were his own clothing. He recalled that he used to leave several changes of clothes at Torchwood in case he had an all night meeting or had to go somewhere directly from work. That must be where these were from. And they still fit. 'At least I didn't put on any weight, I guess that's something,' he mused.

By the time he went back downstairs Ianto was making breakfast. And there was coffee. Ianto's delicious, perfect coffee. Ianto poured him a mug and Jack sighed after the first sip. "Now this was worth coming back for. In all my travels, I never found a cup of coffee that even came close to yours."

Ianto rolled his eyes as he put down two plates. Scrambled eggs (almost burnt the way Jack liked them), rye toast, jam and thick cut potatoes. 'Now if there was just some bacon…' Jack thought.

'_And before you ask, there's no bacon to be had yet. It's probably a government conspiracy to lower everyone's cholesterol. Lots of conspiracies going on lately.'_ Jack looked puzzled.

_'Did you know Jack, that you are the anti-Christ, or perhaps one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse?'_

"That's Mondays and Tuesdays," Jack retorted. "Wednesdays, I'm the Easter Bunny and Thursday, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, and …this isn't working at all is it?"

Ianto shook his head 'no.'

'How much do you want to know Ianto? You've been through enough, you don't have to know anything if you don't want to.'

"How much can you take Jack, because Aaron isn't the only bad news." Jack paled.

After a little more dancing around the subject they agreed that Ianto should tell Jack everything that happened first since Jack was more likely to get blindsided by hearing something terrible that he hadn't been forewarned of. At Jack's insistence, he started with personal losses and moved from there.

Jack was fairly stoic about the losses to Torchwood London staff, government officials and UNIT officers he worked with but when Ianto reported the Cardiff casualties, he ran from the kitchen.

Ianto found him a few minutes later curled up on the guest bed crying. "Is there no hope for Gwen? Has Owen checked the archives for any"… his voice trailing off as he realized that Owen was in Osaka. "And Kimiyo, how could I have miscalculated so badly on Torchwood Osaka? And Aaron and Johnny, I should have been here, for her, for them, for you, for all of you."

'_We all made mistakes Jack. If you hadn't gone to kill the Master its possible that none of us would be alive right now. Gwen is surprisingly upbeat. She's a fighter and with Rhys and her children to help her, she'll be OK.'_

Ianto hesitated before he told Jack the next part. _'I'm not going to lie to you, Owen and Toshiko are very upset and angry at Torchwood._'

"And me," Jack said as Ianto helped him to sit up. Ianto nodded and took Jack's hands in his own.

'_Look at me Jack. You saved the world and you better start remembering that or the Security Council will eat you alive. I'm certain we've exonerated Torchwood as an organization from anything except the mildest rebuke. And it's the UN, really who cares. But they still need someone outside the UN to blame and you've become the target. They've implied that you aided the enemy, a few have even suggested that you were hidden on earth directing the Toclafane.'_

Ianto saw the anger in Jack's face. 'A good sign' he thought. 'Now I've got something to work with.' Ianto made fresh coffee and they moved into the lounge to continue their discussion.

Ianto decided to skip the details about Aaron for the moment and moved into telling him about the success and failures of various nations fighting the Toclafane. Jack was not surprised to hear about the fuss raised by the French and Nigerian ambassadors but when Ianto told him about the number of casualties in Jakarta he wept uncontrollably.

"Twenty million people. We did all that preparation and still lost twenty million people."

'_And saved an estimated eighty million other people and prevented the rest of the population from being enslaved. From what I'm seeing online if there is blame being placed, its individual governments that are taking the largest hit following by the UN with Torchwood and UNIT tied for third place.'_

Ianto ended with a summary of what had happened at the hearings and how with some skillful use of some of the video conferences Ianto had been able to show that Torchwood had tried to help every nation to the best of their ability. And when Jack learned what the Indonesian ambassador had said, he almost started crying again.

'_Ok, enough with this, tell me what happened to you so we can figure out what to tell the Security Council about where you've been.'_

Jack gave Ianto a brief but accurate depiction of how he had chased the Master across time and space with the help of the Tardis and the disapproval of the Doctor. When he described the final showdown, Jack was startled to see Ianto's hands begin to tremble. "What's wrong Ianto, what did I say?"

Ianto said nothing but stood up and went to look out the front picture window. _'That's almost exactly how Aaron died. He blew himself up too. Are you sure you two aren't related? Because I have never met two men so infuriatingly alike in so many respects.' _

'Or that I love as much,' Ianto thought to himself. Ianto asked him to continue. He listened to the end of the story without comment. When Jack asked if he had any questions, Ianto nodded.

'_So you don't actually know that the Master is dead, at least permanently.'_ Jack agreed. And when Jack explained that the Doctor had prevented him from killing the Master during the year that never was, Ianto sensed that the battle between Jack and the Master wasn't finished. Not if the Doctor somehow regenerated him. Ianto had never discussed that missing year with Jack, but he suddenly knew that Jack had suffered greatly during that year but had never told anyone.

'Time and place,' he reminded himself. He was horrified as he realized that he had utterly failed Jack when he returned from that year by not allowing him to explain what had happened. It wouldn't have changed their paths, but he hadn't cared about anyone's feelings but his own. His hurt and anger overwhelmed his compassion and he failed to see that something profound had happened to Jack.

'_One last question. You've aged. Why? Did you lose your immortality? What happened?'_

"What? You don't like my new more mature look?" Ianto rolled his eyes. "I've been gone a long time, Ianto a really long time."

'_What like years or decades?'_

"How abouta little more than a millennia?"

Ianto felt a pain in his chest. Jack must be joking. A thousand years? Did he actually experience 365,000 sunrises and sunsets, eat a million meals and live through ten human life spans? He looked at Jack in confusion.

Jack nodded. "So you won't be surprised if I tell you that I couldn't remember where the guest bathroom was this morning." Ianto snorted. "And really, I think I look pretty good for a man who hasn't been born yet, but is also one-thousand one hundred and eighty four years old. I guess I do age, but very slowly…and I think all the time travel might have played havoc with my internal systems."

Ianto smiled and blinked back a few tears. _'But what are you going to tell others, the UN, UNIT, the King?'_

Jack sighed. "That's a very good question. Seriously, how much do you think I've aged… if I were aging naturally?"

'_Except for your hair graying so much, I'd say five to eight years. With the grey hair, it looks closer to ten.' _Jack winced. '_Sorry, sorry, but you did ask.'_

Jack smiled his first real smile. "So I can say I traveled for five years and yes I'm vain, and no I didn't dye my hair while I was away and I decided I like the natural look. That would make me…"

'_Forty-eight.'_

"Not that I'm vain, but let's make that forty-five, Ok?"

Ianto smiled.


	87. An Ending, but Not The End Part 2

******SUMMARY: **Jack is back. But what happened to him? And how is Ianto going to handle his return? This chapter is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: _****_What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. T.S. Eliot._**_**  
**_

* * *

Ianto and Jack met with Mickey the following day and spent a good part of it reviewing the tapes of the inquiry and planning strategy.

In the end, they concluded that it would come down to whether the Security Council as a whole believed Jack or not. And that unfortunately, even if he were exonerated by the Security Council this would not prevent the International Criminal Court from conducting their own investigation.

"Well, I've got an ace or two up my sleeve, but I won't use it unless I have to. Realistically the Court won't act unless some nation continues to protest. And I pretty sure I can prevent that from happening."

Mickey laughed. "You've got the dirt on every one of those ambassadors, don't you."

"You got it in one. As well as the leaders of most nations, their legislatures and their military brass. There are some advantages of being above the law and beyond the UN."

Mickey was curious about what had happened while Jack was with the Doctor and Jack truthfully told him the whole story with the exception of how long he had been away.

Mickey's reaction made Ianto smile. "Five years, you actually lived five years while we lived seven weeks?" Jack nodded. "If I hadn't traveled with the Doctor and seen that timey-wimey stuff for myself, I wouldn't believe it."

'_Well, you may have to testify to that Mickey, if Jack is to be believed.'_

Mickey didn't have a problem with that. Pretty much everybody at UNIT and Torchwood knew that he had traveled with the Doctor and probably a lot of people at the UN had heard as well. He could attest that time on the Tardis passed differently than time on Earth.

But what to say about the Doctor and the Master. This proved to be more contentious. Mickey felt that Jack should disclose that the Master was a Timelord to impress on everyone how dangerous he was. Jack was strongly opposed to this fearing that it might rebound negatively on the Doctor. He also had no intention of letting anyone other than Mickey and Ianto know that the Doctor had strongly opposed him killing the Master. And only Ianto knew that the Doctor had tried to stop Jack by zapping him with the sonic screwdriver or that the Master might somehow be regenerated by the Doctor.

By the time they had agreed on their strategy it was getting close to 17:00 hours. Mickey apologized to Ianto and said he needed to speak to Jack about some items that were 'eyes-only.' Ianto was pretty sure that he wanted to speak to Jack about Aaron amongst other things and agreed to leave. He had already given Jack a spare key to the house so he told Jack that he wasn't going to wait up.

Ianto was correct that Aaron was one of the things Mickey wanted to speak to Jack about. He would have been surprised however, that the main item on Mickey's agenda was Ianto himself.

"I'm really worried about Ianto. He's been working flat out for over two months. The only time he's taken off since the invasion was one day to attend his brother-in-law's funeral and three maybe four days for Aaron's. And he was still answering emails during all that time. He hasn't had time to grieve for Aaron, he hasn't had time to think about the future. If I were taking odds I'd bet there's a better than even chance that he's going to have a nervous breakdown or some other health crisis within a few weeks if he keeps this up."

"I'll tell you what," Jack answered, "let's finish off these hearings and then I'll have a long talk with Ianto. In fact, maybe we could take a quick trip to Cardiff and see his sister and everyone else."

Mickey wasn't sure Cardiff was such a great idea, given Owen and Tosh's feelings, but he would discretely check in with Gwen and see if they were back from Osaka.

The last day before the hearings resumed, Jack and Ianto went to the cemetery to visit Aaron's grave. Stephen arrived not long after Jack and Ianto; Ianto had called Stephen to see if he wanted to meet them there and he said he would try. The three men stood in companionable silence until Stephen broke the silence by pulling Jack away to visit the Brigadier's grave. Jack and Stephen reminisced about the Brigadier as they watched Ianto standing alone looking lost and forlorn. Finally, Ianto came over and joined the men at the Brigadier's grave. Jack offered to take both men to lunch, but Stephen had a business appointment and Ianto said he wanted to go home and rest.

Back at the house, Ianto made coffee for Jack and tea for himself. As they sat in the lounge once again, Ianto told Jack everything that had happened when he and Aaron had gone to Buckingham Palace.

Ianto tried to be a bit light-hearted but failed miserably. _'I told the King that if we got out alive I would make sure that some decent books were added to the safe rooms. We almost came to blows at one point we were so crazed from being locked in with nothing to do for a week. I couldn't wait to tell you and Aaron about…oh fuck…' _Ianto said as got up and went to stare out the window again.

Jack went and stood behind Ianto without hesitation. "Listen; don't be embarrassed, it's OK."

Ianto turned around and faced Jack his eyes red from unshed tears. '_What's OK, to forget that my partner of almost thirty years is dead, to want to call the Doctor so we can go back in time and change it, to hoping that I'll wake up and it will all be just a bad nightmare, to feel like every day I have to live now is a punishment for some long forgotten sin?'_ Ianto lowered his gaze as the tears began to fall. _'Tell me Jack what's OK about that?'_

Jack took Ianto into his arms. "Shhh…don't beat yourself up, you're grieving for Aaron, you're allowed to feel what you feel."

'_How do I get through this, how can I go on when every day is like torture. All I can think about is how I never should have let Aaron come with me, how I shouldn't have let him stay behind in the Palace, how I should have walked away from Torchwood before it destroyed me. And now it's too late. My life is done, now I'm just a living dead man waiting for my body to realize what my soul already knows.'_

Jack couldn't think of anything to say. He knew exactly what Ianto was feeling. Every time he came back from death and whenever he looked at his existence stretching out to eternity, he felt the same way, like a dead man walking. The only difference was that his journey was without end. At least Ianto would have the peace that death would eventually bring.

He continued to hold Ianto, gently patting him on the back until his crying subsided. He moved Ianto over to the sofa and had him lie down on it. He sat down on the floor next to Ianto's head and kissed his forehead. "We have just one or two days more to get through with the hearings and then maybe we'll go somewhere where we can both recuperate for a while, OK? We'll pick up the pieces and see if we can't make something new of them."

Ianto nodded but he still felt adrift. _'I feel lost Jack, it's the end of my life as it has been and I don't even know where to begin.'_

"All I know is that the end is where we start from. And we'll tackle this together you and me and find a new road to follow."


	88. Persuasion

**SUMMARY: **Jack testifies before the UN Security Council. How will he explain where he's been and what's happened to him? This chapter is rated G/PG

**_Title is from: _****_Few persons are capable of being convinced; the majority allow themselves to be persuaded. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe _**_**  
**_

* * *

Jack's conduct during the Toclafane invasion remained a topic of controversy for several centuries. Some sympathetic scholars coined the name Harkness Exoneration Hearings (HEH) for the UN inquiry while others used the moniker FEH (Fake Exoneration Hearings) believing that Harkness had gotten away with if not murder then gross incompetence in the planning and execution of the defense of Earth.

As predicted, the conclusion one drew from the hearings was a matter of whether you believed the testimony of Director Harkness. Given the embarrassment that several Ambassadors had suffered during the previous days of testimony, most accusations were indirect and filled with innuendos.

UNIT high command stepped up and sent a key witness to testify on Jack's conduct before and during the invasion.

"I've known Director Harkness for over twenty years and while he can be headstrong and undisciplined, I have never had a moments doubt that he always put the protection of planet Earth first. To imply that he somehow collaborated with the enemy is unthinkable," General Stanley McGregor testified.

Things got a bit dicier when Jack was questioned directly by the Bolivian Ambassador.

"Director Harkness, I hope you won't find my questions too personal but there seems to be some confusion as to your age. Exactly how old are you?"

Jack took a deep breadth. He and Ianto had realized that while he looked forty-eight (or forty-five by Jack's reckoning) that it would be impossible for Jack to be younger than Ianto.

"I'm sixty-five," Jack stated.

The Ambassador smiled. "You're looking well for such an advanced age. I'd say you didn't look a day over forty."

"Good gene pool." When he saw the Ambassador raise an eyebrow he quickly added, "as well as Botox injections." Some laughter was heard from the other members of the Security Counsel. "Ok I'm vain, but last time I checked that wasn't a crime."

"Yet you seem to have aged quite a bit in the last seven weeks," the Ambassador added as an image from Jack's speech ten days prior to the invasion was displayed. A few gasps were heard, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you look like you've aged about…"

"Five years," Jack interrupted. "I've aged five years." The looks of confusion on attendee's faces both at the UN and in London were almost universal.

"May I assume you have an explanation for this, Director Harkness?" the Ambassador enquired.

Jack explained about how he had traveled with the Doctor for five years chasing down the being that controlled the Toclafane. When asked about this powerful enemy Jack told everyone that the Toclafane called him their Master.

'Close enough for government work,' thought Mickey.

The Pakistani Ambassador snorted. "Do you really expect us to believe that you've been away for five years?"

'You don't know a 200th of the truth,' Ianto mused.

"Well what's your explanation for the change in my appearance?" Jack countered a little too aggressively.

The Ambassador shrugged. "Maybe you're using makeup, in addition to not dying your hair to make us believe your story."

"Why would I lie? Does it really matter whether I was gone for seven weeks, seven years or seven hundred years?"

'Oh crap, he's going to piss off the Security Council if he keeps that up,' Mickey worried as he signaled that he'd like to be allowed to speak.

After being recognized, Mickey added, "As many of you know, I have also traveled with the Doctor. And time does work differently on the Tardis…his spacecraft. We moved not only across space but through time as well. I have witnessed civilizations far into the future and seen species that will never be seen on planet earth unless they fall through the rifts."

Several Ambassadors pressed for information about the future. Jack and Mickey explained that they were forbidden to speak of the future unless they had the Doctor's permission.

"So, you're first loyalty is to the Doctor then, rather than the people of Earth."

"They really are one and the same," Jack explained. "If we reveal anything about the future, we could change events that would alter the course of humanity. Something seemingly harmless could cause the destruction of the planet or the extermination of the human race."

"If you can safely tell us, does the human race survive for generations to come," Dr. Ing asked.

Jack hesitated just for a moment. "I don't think I'd be giving anything away if I tell you that yes, the human race will survive. In fact some humans will leave the planet and explore worlds off in distance galaxies. The human race will flourish for millions of years."

This seemed to placate many of the UN participants. 'If you knew what Toclafane are you might not be feeling so relieved,' Jack thought.

The questioning went on all day. Jack described the chase across the stars for the Master as well as their final confrontation. When pressed as to how the Master was killed, Jack put on his best 'regretful' face and explained that it was really the Doctor who fired the critical shot. "And I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything more…"

"Due to the space/time continuum," the Bolivian Ambassador sneered.

They broke for a late lunch and when they reconvened, Dr. Ing asked if General McGregor would mind clarifying a few points for everyone. The General was asked to testify as to whether Jack's information on the Doctor and the space/time continuum was accurate.

"Completely accurate, as far as I know," the General replied. "The Doctor has given us the same warnings about the dangers of messing up the timelines when we've asked about the future. I have never had a reason to believe that the Doctor has acted in any matter except to protect the planet Earth, even at the expense of other species. And I'd like to add, that Director Harkness has also acted in the best interests of Earth. Instead of an inquiry, you ought to be giving the man a medal."

Some murmurs were heard. "No, really you should. He's given up five years of his life for this planet. If he hadn't killed this Toclafane Master, the casualties would have been at least ten maybe twenty times higher and the rest of our planet would have been enslaved."

"Makeup…" the General continued in disgust, "how anyone can think such rot is just beyond my understanding."

Both Mickey and Ianto wondered what had changed UNIT's position of neutrality. Mickey thought that UNIT had probably realized that if Torchwood was sanctioned, UNIT could be next. Ianto wondered if Jack had some particularly juicy piece of dirt on the General. Whatever it was, Jack and Torchwood couldn't have had a better witness.

The hearing wound down shortly thereafter. Final statements were read, with Mickey and General McGregor making eloquent statements asserting that Jack Harkness along with the Doctor had saved the Earth from near destruction. The Russian and Indian Ambassadors also spoke on behalf of Jack and Torchwood. A number of other Ambassadors including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and Bolivia reiterated that they believed that leaving planet Earth without informing the UN was a breach of protocol warranting a rebuke.

Only the Bolivian Ambassador dared to assert that Jack was a traitor and that it was obvious that he had aided and gave comfort to the enemy. Of course she didn't have any proof of any of her accusations, but that didn't stop her from making unfounded charges.

The hearings adjourned late that evening. The Security Council would render its conclusions on the conduct of Torchwood and Jack Harkness following closed session deliberations which would begin the following morning.

Jack pulled off his boots and loosened his tie the moment he entered Ianto's house. "I don't think that went too badly," he remarked.

'_I'd say the assertions by the Security Council, with one notable exception were very restrained. Almost unnaturally restrained.'_

Jack chuckled. "Oh I think those Ambassadors realized that they had a bigger stake than my neck in this game." He walked over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of scotch. "OK, if I have some." Ianto nodded.

'_Yeah, pour me a small one while you're at it. Are you telling me that you let them know you had dirt on them? How did you do that in less than 72 hours?'_

"You got it …and that's one secret I think I'm going to keep to myself…for everyone's protection," Jack added when he saw Ianto start to protest.

'_But what about the Bolivian Ambassador?'_

Jack handed Ianto his scotch. "She's only been in place for six months and I haven't had time to get to know her…uh…weaknesses. Still, I don't think she's in a position to influence opinion; too new, country lacking strategic importance, so I wouldn't worry too much."

Jack looked over at Ianto who seemed to be lost in thought.

"Ianto, a Euro for your thoughts."

'_What? Oh, nothing, just thinking about everything since the invasion.'_

"I've known you too many years to pretend that I don't know what that look on your face means. You're brooding."

Ianto let out a breath. _'How do you do it Jack? You've spent a thousand years chasing the Master and the world seems at best ungrateful, at worst hostile towards you.'_

"Well besides their governments, who are of course covering their proverbial arses as best they can, who else can they blame? It's not like anything serious is going to happen to me or Torchwood or UNIT."

'_But what about the International Criminal Court?'_

Jack chuckled. "I have it on very good authority that nothing is going to be raised to that level."

Ianto raised his eyebrows at Jack. "Let's just say that Dr. Ing and I came to an understanding on that point. And before you ask, no I didn't threaten him or hold anything over him. He's smart enough to realize that the quicker all the inquiries finish, the quicker things can get back to normal."

'_That would be the new 'aliens exist' normal,' _Ianto quipped.

Jack raised his scotch to Ianto. "Here's to the new normal."

Ianto sighed.


	89. Verdict

**IANTO'S JOURNEY, PART V- REDEMPTION****  
****TITLE: **Chapter 87-Verdict  
**SUMMARY: **The hearings are over and the verdicts are in. How will UNIT and Torchwood fare? And what about Jack? This chapter is rated G/PG

_**Title is from: **__**One wise man's verdict outweighs all the fools. Robert Browning**__**  
**_

* * *

After a week of deliberation, and another week of wrangling over the wording, the UN Security Council released its findings on the matter of "The Invasion of the Planet Earth by the Toclafane.

Jack kept a low profile during this period, insisting that Mickey remain in charge of Torchwood on all strategic matters. Jack video conferenced Torchwood management world-wide explaining that until the hearings were officially completed, that he would not resume his role as Director.

"It only makes good sense for Mickey to remain in charge for the time being," he told the group. "After all, there are still aliens coming through the rifts and we can't keep operations in limbo while we wait for the findings."

Jack also used the time to look more closely at Mickey's performance during the invasion. He had a plan in mind and needed to determine whether Mickey was ready for a larger role at Torchwood. On the day of the announcement, Jack, Ianto and Mickey joined the rest of Torchwood management and staff to watch the proceedings in the main conference center.

The findings were broadcast worldwide with the only Nigeria and Eritrea attempting to block the signal. It was estimated that over 4.5 billion individuals watched the short fifteen minute broadcast.

The Chairman of the Security Council, Dr. Ing read the findings to the entire General Assembly as the other members of the Council sat in a semi-circle behind him. Rumors had been circulating for several days running the gamut from complete exoneration for all parties, to mild rebukes for some, to several referrals of some parties to The Hague for prosecution for war crimes.

Dr. Ing opened with the usual remarks thanking the members of the Security Council and member nations for their cooperation. He also thanked UNIT and Torchwood for their cooperation as well. After some additional information on the nature of the hearings and the publication of details of the findings, Dr. Ing was ready to read an abbreviated version of the findings. The crawl below his image read:

**FINDINGS IN THE MATTER OF THE INVASION OF THE EARTH BY THE TOCLAFANE 2039**

"First, the Security Council finds that UNIT acted admirably prior, during and after the initial invasion. There is no evidence of any systemic misconduct by the leadership or any company of UNIT soldiers. There are several individuals cited in the full report for meritorious conduct and who will be awarded the United Nations Defense of Earth Medal (UNDE)."

A list of two dozen recipients was displayed showing their name, rank and posting locations. The only name Ianto recognized was General McGregor. There were several Brigadiers, four Captains and the rest were enlisted men and women who had shown extraordinary bravery during the battle. He also noticed with sadness that seven of the awards were being awarded posthumously.

"The Security Council finds that ten individuals in three locations, Lagos, Marseilles, and Asmara used excessive force to control rioting civilians prior to and after the invasion. However, as the UN will not be recommending prosecution of any of these individuals, we will not be releasing their names. Suffice it to say that with four of them killed during the riots, three killed during the invasion and the remaining three seriously wounded during the invasion, that the price these soldiers have paid is more than sufficient justice. The ten names will be redacted from the final report."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the last statement. 'Well at least they won't be prosecuted. I suppose the names will leak out, but most of them are known already.'

"The Security Council also finds that Torchwood as a whole acted fairly and without prejudice towards all members of the United Nations and also all territories not having membership with the United Nations. Their performance, however was sub par in a number of locations, including, Osaka, Jakarta, Berlin, Moscow and Sao Paulo. There is no evidence that these shortcomings were due to any malice or deliberate actions by Torchwood or any of its staff but rather represented miscalculations in necessary weaponry and troop strength. Given that in all cases, the governments of the effected nations certified the predictions, there is no recommendation for any prosecutions or sanctions against the Torchwood organization."

A small cheer went up from the crowd in the conference center.

"We now come to the matter of the leadership of Torchwood including the role of Director Harkness during the crisis…"

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**OH COME ON...YOU DIDN'T THINK I'D GIVE EVERYTHING AWAY, DID YOU?**

**Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion to the trial:****  
**  
**Will Jack go to jail, go directly to jail, and not collect $200?****  
****Will Mickey get an UNDE?****  
****Will Ianto get his UNDiEs into a twist?****  
****And what about ****Naomi**** the Doctor?****  
****Only the author knows...but you will too soon.**


	90. Exoneration

******SUMMARY: **The hearings are over and the verdicts are in. How will Jack and the Torchwood leadership fare? And what plans do Jack, Ianto and Mickey have for the future? This chapter is rated G/PG.

_**Title is from: The most beautiful words in the English language are 'not guilty'. **__**Maxim Gorky **_

_**Artwork for this chapter may be found at livejournal dot com/artwork_avivb**_

_**My apologies for stretching out the angst a bit. I think the title of this chapter pretty much sums up what happens. So you can relax for a bit, but there are still lots of surprises ahead as we head into the home stretch.**_

**_As always comments are appreciated and will always receive a response._**

* * *

The weeks leading up to the end of the Security Council hearings seemed to drag on forever. While rift surveillance and alien rift-return continued unaffected, all future plans at Torchwood were put on hold. No one wanted to make any decisions concerning new operations or projects while Jack's future was uncertain.

Ianto observed that Jack remained very detached from the day-to-day operations, not doing much more than listening to Mickey's daily report and supporting or gently guiding Mickey's decisions. After a week of staying at Ianto's, Jack moved back to his own flat as Ianto began to deal with the personal fallout of the invasion of the Toclafane.

With Mickey and Jack's blessings, Ianto had taken a leave of absence to deal with issues surrounding Aaron's estate. Though Ianto had complete authority to make decisions on Aaron's property, he asked for Stephen's help with tying up the loose ends. He had also contacted Aaron's sisters in Israel, but only heard back from Tamara. Aaron's clothes were donated to charity with the exception of a few items that Ianto wanted to keep.

Tamara had asked if she could have some of Aaron's photos from his childhood, so after Stephen and Ianto picked out a few for themselves the rest were boxed up for mailing. Ianto kept the collage of Aaron and Geoffrey and since Stephen didn't want any other pictures, he took the photographs of Geoffrey that Aaron had packed away almost thirty years ago and sent them to Tamara as well. He also sent her a few sentimental items from Aaron's life – a mezuzah that Ianto had never seen Aaron wear that Tamara later told him he had received from a great-aunt at his Bar Mitzvah as well as a gold watch that was one of a pair that Ronit had given them as a present following their commitment ceremony.

Ianto wasn't certain that he wanted to stay in such a big house by himself, and while Aaron had wanted the house to revert back to 'the family' eventually, there wasn't really any family left. Stephen wasn't interested as he had the Brigadier's former residence and refused to accept any of the proceeds if Ianto sold it.

'_But what about Bryan's children? Should the house or the proceeds be put in trust for them?' _

Stephen was adamant that nothing should be left to Bryan. "When Father and Aaron were sick, he never responded to any of our communications. And while I know his children aren't to blame, I don't think they should profit from their deaths."

Ianto wasn't sure that he agreed but he thought to himself that if he sold the house, he might put the money in a trust for those children to be disbursed upon his death. Or maybe…an idea began to form in his head. He would have to get some support from Torchwood, UNIT and the King for his idea, but he needed to think about it some more before he spoke to anyone about it.

Ianto sighed as he looked around him. Aaron had been seventy-two when he died and he and Ianto had been together for almost thirty years. All that time was now reduced to a few boxes of memories going to Stephen and Tamara and what remained at the house.

By the end of the first week, Ianto had dealt with all of Aaron's personal possessions with the exception of items from Aaron's study. Ianto had only been in the study once since Aaron's death. A few days after Aaron's funeral, he had thought he might sort through a few things, but when he went in he was overwhelmed by feelings of grief.

The room was such a reflection of Aaron, neat and orderly, yet if you looked closely on the shelves there were numerous little items from their life together. Ianto had opened a drawer of Aaron's desk to be confronted with a key chain that he had given Aaron when they were traveling. It had a picture of a llama on it with the slogan, 'The grass is tastier at Machu Picchu.' Ianto had bought it for Aaron following the joke Aaron played on him about wanting to start a llama farm. Just a silly cheap souvenir, but when Ianto saw it, all the memories of that trip with Aaron and Shayna flooded back to him.

'This is so hard,' Ianto thought. 'I never thought I would feel so lost and alone.' As tears threatened to overwhelm him, he put the key chain in his pocket and started to leave the study. When he noticed the collage of Geoffrey and Aaron photos, he took it off the wall. 'You shouldn't have to stay here alone either," he reckoned as he removed it from the study. He hadn't been inside the room since.

Ianto had also been giving a lot of thought to his future at Torchwood. 'I'm fifty-eight years old; I never expected to do this my whole life. Well I never thought I'd live this long working for Torchwood. Do I want to keep doing this for another five, ten, or maybe even fifteen years?' Ianto honestly didn't know the answer.

The Sunday before the results of the hearing were to be made public, he invited Jack over for the afternoon and dinner. As they talked, Ianto found himself telling Jack about the difficulty he was having cleaning up Aaron's study.

"I'll help you with it, Ianto. Really, I don't mind."

Ianto wasn't sure it was a good idea, but Jack pointed out that it might help them both keep their minds off the 'what ifs' that were racing through both of their heads concerning the inquiry results.

As they packed up Aaron's study, they kept stumbling upon little trinkets from Aaron and Ianto's years together. Each one contained a memory which led to Jack asking surprisingly insightful questions and Ianto actually enjoying telling him the story about the item.

They ordered in pizza, opened some wine and continued eating, drinking and talking. As they laughed at another item Ianto had found tucked away, he realized that he had never had a conversation with Jack where he was the one telling the outrageous stories and Jack was the appreciative audience.

'_Oi! Don't make fun of that T-shirt,' _Ianto typed. They had both burst into laughter when Ianto had unfolded the red Aaron sized shirt with an "I got Lei-ed in Hawaii."

_'I made him wear it out in public for a day after he lost a bet with me. Don't remember what it was about… oh yeah, these attractive ladies were checking us out on the beach and Aaron was sure one of them would chat him up first. Well he lost, of course and I got to pick the punishment.' _

Jack snorted. "I would have thought you could think up something a little more innovative than that," Jack teased.

'_Turn the shirt over'. _When Jack did he laughed so hard, he almost choked. On the front was a sickeningly sweet picture of a huge-eyed boy and girl dressed for the beach.

"You made him wear it the whole day?"

'_Yep, even to dinner under a sports coat. I remember the waiter rolling his eyes when he saw the shirt. I never saw it after we got home; I just assumed he had thrown it out.'_

"But he didn't."

'_No, that was so like Aaron. He had this really stiff exterior when he didn't know people, but he was really very sentimental. He was the one who wanted us to wear rings, I had never heard of something so ridiculous in my life.' _Ianto looked sadly at the T-shirt as he folded it back up.

'_I miss him Jack. I miss Cardiff and my sister and Gwen and Owen and Tosh and the way things used to be. And I miss you as well.'' _Jack looked puzzled. _'You know the old you…the outrageous, flirtatious you.'_

Jack suddenly looked so tired and careworn that Ianto changed tactics. _'What I really wanto to know is who the hell are you and what the hell have you done to Jack Harkness,'_ he teased.

"I think the old Jack burned out chasing around the universe for a thousand years. Are you tired of all this Ianto, cause I know I am." Ianto nodded. "I've been thinking…"

They continued talking well into the night until Jack insisted that Ianto get some sleep. "Tomorrow is bound to be stressful and you don't want to be sleeping through the results of the UN inquiry, do you? There's not much left to pack up here and I'll come back and help again ...if you want me to."

'_That'd be good,' _Ianto said yawning. Ianto walked Jack to the door.

"How about I pick you up for breakfast at 9 AM. The hearings don't start until 16:00 hours our time. That gives us plenty of time to eat breakfast, have a little pep rally with the staff and be ready."

Ianto nodded.

"And think about what I told you and I'll think about your plans as well. I think there's still a chance for a…well for a happy ending, if you will."

An aura of concern hung over the conference center. Ianto took a deep breathe. Only a few more minutes of the hearing to go.

"We now come to the matter of the leadership of Torchwood including the role of Director Harkness during the crisis," Dr. Ing said.

"While these decisions were not unanimous, they are the conclusion of the majority of the participants on the Security Council. First, Mr. Michael (Mickey) Smith's performance during the invasion has been found to be exemplary. He worked nearly around the clock during the invasion and remained responsive to the UN's needs during the crisis. We therefore, are awarding him an UNDE for his service to the nations of planet Earth." There were applause in the conference center and Jack noted how pleased everyone was with Mickey's recognition.

'Not that Mickey doesn't deserve it, but yes, it's really all about playing nice with the UN isn't it,' thought Ianto.

"Mr. Ianto Jones, along with Lt. Colonel Aaron Hamilton also performed admirably in organizing weapons training and the world-wide distribution of supplies. Lt. Colonel Hamilton in particular has been singled out for recognition of the almost superhuman effort he performed in getting weapons to Paris on very short notice. Therefore, we are awarding an UNDE to Aaron Hamilton, posthumously unfortunately," Dr. Ing finished as his voice dropping a bit.

"God save the King… and he did," one of the research directors said loudly.

"In the matter of Director Jack Harkness we find that there was no malice or deliberate misconduct on his part. We do admonish him for not alerting the UN sooner than he did, but we are convinced that the Doctor had forbidden him to do so. Still, while we believe his communications skills and management style leave something to be desired, this certainly does not rise to a criminal matter."

The group gathered in the conference center grumbled loudly and a few 'boos' were voiced. As Jack signaled for quiet, one employee in the back shouted out, "Feck the UN, they're just a bunch of wankers."

"The complete report, with redactions as previously indicated will be available to the public at the conclusion of these hearings." Dr. Ing had a few more words about procedural issues and then surprised everyone.

"Director Harkness has indicated that he would like to make a short statement at the end of these proceedings. We will now go to live feed from Torchwood London for his statement."

A deathly silence fell over the conference center as Jack walked to the podium. "I would like to thank the work of the UN Security Council. I believe their analysis to be unbiased and their conclusions well thought out and reasonable. I would also like to announce that I have tendered my resignation as Director of Torchwood Worldwide to his Majesty King William as I believe that new talent and leadership is needed at our organization." A collective gasp went through the room.

"The King has requested and I have agreed to stay on for a six month period to ensure an effective transition of operational duties. However, effective immediately, by the order of the King, Mr. Michael (Mickey) Smith is hereby appointed the permanent Director of Torchwood. I can't think of anyone better qualified to lead Torchwood as we move toward the latter half of the 21st century. I hope I can count on everyone at Torchwood, UNIT and the United Nations to support Mr. Smith in his new role."

Practically everyone, including Mickey and Dr. Ing was shocked. Mickey had thought that one day he might have a leadership role in London, but not this, and not so soon.

Dr. Ing looked stunned. He had spoken to Jack privately a few nights before and had reassured him that no legal repercussions would occur and that any negative comments in the report would be nothing more than political posturing. And Jack had assured him that he understood and wasn't upset by it. Looking back, clearly Harkness had already tendered his resignation when they had their conversation. He quickly gathered his composure.

"I'm sorry to hear of your decision, Director Harkness. You can count on the UN's complete cooperation during this period of operational realignment."

"Thank you. I'll be turning the transmission back to you," Jack said before he cut his video feed.

Dr. Ing quickly brought the hearings to a conclusion. No one was paying much attention as the buzz of Jack Harkness' resignation ran through not only Torchwood, UNIT and the UN but the World Wide Web as well.

'That should keep the rumor mill happy for a while,' Ianto thought with some amusement. 'I'll tell Mickey of my resignation tomorrow. Not that he'll be surprised, but I can't imagine anyone outside of my direct reports is going to care right now.'

Jack walked over to him and whispered, "Time for you and me to make some plans. We're going home."


	91. Transitions

**SUMMARY: **Big changes are in store for Jack and Ianto. And they're not the only ones. How have the lives of the rest of Torchwood and friends changed since the Invasion? This chapter is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: _****_Not in his goals but in his transitions is man great. Ralph Waldo Emerson_**

_**-**  
_It took more than another full year for Jack and Ianto to return to Cardiff. Jack discovered that it was no easy matter to ready Mickey to take over Torchwood. While Mickey was highly competent at mission planning and execution and seemed to easily gain the trust of UNIT and the UN as well as the King, he sometimes had difficulty delegating authority. This made some of his direct reports resentful and uncooperative.

Much like Jack, Mickey had created his own team at Torchwood Three and knew intimately everyone's strengths and weaknesses. But Torchwood London was Jack's team, used to Jack's style and loyal to him. So Jack spent a lot of his time helping Mickey to understand each Department Head's capabilities and how to get the best out of them.

And then there were a few outsiders that both Jack and Mickey found infuriating.

"He's a git, Jack, a 100% certified git. It's beyond me why you hired him," Mickey fumed.

Jack sighed, "Mickey, the Director of Financial Oversight is appointed by the Prime Minister. It's his job to be a git. Your job is to let him know as much as possible about the mundane activities and as little as possible about anything that the PM can use to undermine us."

"And how did you, Mr. Congeniality of the Boshane Peninsula get him off your back."

"Uh…actually I almost never spoke to him. I let Ianto handle it."

"Figures. And now with Ianto leaving, I have no one to cover me on these issues."

"What you need is a really savvy PA. I don't know if you remember Alonso Frame, he acted as my PA when he was here. After he left, I delegated out some of his duties to the Department Heads, and Ianto volunteered to take over handling officials at the Palace as well as the Prime Minister's office. He already knew most of them from Torchwood Three so it was no problem."

"Now where am I going to find someone like that?"

They spoke some more about possible candidates. Penny was still the archivist at Torchwood Three, and while she was certainly smart and capable, her temperament hadn't mellowed over the years.

"Oi, Penny would just as soon blast someone who annoys her into dust as compromise with them. I'd probably be recommending her as my replacement at Three if she wasn't so hot-tempered." Mickey laughed.

"What about Ricky Sato-Harper? Isn't he your government liaison at Three?"

"Yes, and he is brilliant both intellectually and personally. I'm concerned how Tosh and Owen would react to him coming to London. And actually he was my choice for heading up Torchwood Three. I've already spoken to the King about it…"

Jack agreed that Ricky was a fine choice to head up the Cardiff operation but could also prove an invaluable resource in London. As the rift there had quieted down, most of the Hub had gradually been transformed into a think tank, continuing the work on the rift predictor and return programs as well as some other similar projects that Torchwood wanted to keep under the government's radar. Ricky had started doing a little work there helping Tosh with the rift return project while still teaching high school math. By the time of the Invasion by the Toclafane he had eclipsed her brilliance and refined the program to upwards of 97% accuracy. He had joined Torchwood full-time only three months before the Invasion.

And while Owen and Tosh had resigned from Torchwood after the Invasion, they seemed to have no objection to Ricky continuing to work there. But they were still grieving the loss of Kimiyo (whose body was finally recovered while they were in Osaka) and to move Ricky away seemed unnecessarily cruel.

"There's an additional consideration," Mickey reminded Jack. "His wife."

Jack smiled. Much to everyone's astonishment, Ricky, like his parents had also made a Torchwood match of sorts. No one was sure quite when they noticed each other, but not long after Ianto and Aaron's 25th wedding anniversary party, Ricky began seriously dating a young lady named Bronwen Cooper-Williams. They had married in the fall of the previous year.

"Ok, I give up. You're right of course," Jack conceded. "If Tosh and Owen didn't kill us for moving them, Gwen and Rhys would."

"And with Gwen retired due to her disability, I would guess that Bronwen is going to be helping out her parents a lot more. And don't laugh, with all the upheaval in Cardiff, the animal shelters including the one that Claire Davies runs and Bronwen assists at are overflowing." Mickey paused a moment adding, "We are an incestuous bunch, aren't we?"

Jack nodded thinking how everything in people's lives had changed. Even taking care of a pet was a challenge when people were still scrambling for food and shelter for themselves. "I'll keep thinking about who might make a good PA for you, but I'm out of ideas at this point."

Mickey sighed. The search for the perfect personal assistant would have to continue.

Ianto had to prepare a replacement for his job as well but he had already been grooming a successor as he knew that at some point he would want to move on. The plan had originally for Ianto to retire at sixty so that he and Aaron could resume their travels, this time strictly as tourists.

Now as the months passed, Ianto began to test the waters for several ideas he had. The first was to convert the house that he and Aaron had lived in into a museum about aliens. While Jack found the idea of an ET museum amusing, UNIT adamantly opposed it. So that was out. After some additional discussions with the Defense Council, UNIT, Jack and Mickey and the King, he received approval to create a museum dedicated to the heroes of the Invasion of the Toclafane. And while the emphasis would be on heroes of the United Kingdom and its territories, a section would be devoted to other heroes worldwide.

The King was delighted when all the plans were finally in place. He and Ianto sat drinking tea in one of his private sitting rooms at the Palace reviewing Torchwood reorganization plans. The room looked like it had hardly changed since late Victorian times. The floral covered sofas still looked like no one ever sat on them and the rest of the dark wood furniture was highly polished. Ianto sat rigidly drinking his tea; this was not a room for relaxed conversation.

Ianto noticed that several blaster holes created in the walls during the Invasion had been patched but not repainted. 'Even the King is having a little trouble getting his house back in order.' he thought. The King noticed where Ianto's attention had drifted and cleared his throat. "I still don't see why you are moving to Cardiff when you will have this project going on. Given your personality, I'd think you'd want to be there to oversee every detail."

'_That's exactly why I won't be there on a day to day basis. Obviously, there will be some mention of Aaron, and I don't want to influence the presentation_.' Ianto shrugged as the King gave him a look of disbelief._ 'Well too much anyway,' _Ianto admitted.

"That would be why you're appointing your brother-in-law, Stephen Hamilton to be the Director of this project. Not to mention several of your father-in-law's retired friends at UNIT, two decorated officers that served under Aaron in the Royal Navy as well as Jonathan Bennett, Lieutenant, British Army retired. And then we have Gwen Cooper-Williams of Torchwood, recently retired…now that's interesting."

'_The house was supposed to revert to the Brigadier's family, so it only seemed right that Stephen should play a role And the others are people that are trusted by all the branches of the Armed forces, Torchwood and UNIT. Mr. Bennett is a personal friend but he was wounded during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan as well as during the Invasion. Gwen, well you already know about her. She's going to be in charge of gathering testimony from ordinary citizens for inclusion in the museum. I think it's important that we include the heroics of everyday people.'_

The King listed carefully and nodded his understanding and approval. "I wonder…" King William said as he smiled at Ianto, "if some Welshman I know might have some recognition in this museum as well?"

Ianto felt himself blushing. _'I suppose there might be something…' _

'Oh there will be if I have anything to say about it and...why yes I do,' William thought with satisfaction.

"Well I'm sure everything will be splendid when it's finished. You say it should open in two years? That's perfect. I'm going to award Aaron a Knighthood you know. I think it would be nice to have the ceremony in conjunction with the museum's debut."

Ianto was shocked and thanked the King profusely.

"In all seriousness, I'm assuming of course, that I won't have been deposed, or we have another invasion, or we still can't take care of our citizens by then," the King continued.

They spoke a bit more about the upcoming changes at Torchwood and Ianto's future plans. Ianto promised to make an appointment to see the King again before his final move to Cardiff. As Ianto said his goodbyes and as the King departed the private sitting room he turned back to Ianto.

"I almost forgot to mention, you'll be receiving a Knighthood as well. So please do me a favor and don't get yourself into any trouble in the next two years, OK?"

For once in his life Ianto was too stunned to say anything.


	92. Retirement

**SUMMARY: **Jack and Ianto get ready to retire to Cardiff. Jack has an idea which does not meet Ianto's approval. This chapter is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: Retirement: World's longest coffee break. ~Author Unknown_**

_**Pictures for this chapter can be found at httP:/ artwork_avivb dot livejournal dot com. (remove spaces and put in dots)**_

_

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_

More than eighteen months from the end of the Security Council hearings, Ianto and Jack finally moved back to Cardiff. While Ianto was looking for a small quiet retirement flat, Jack had something very different in mind.

"You've got to see it Ianto, its fantastic." Jack had spent considerable time perusing the real estate listings in Cardiff. As they sat in Jack's office, Ianto could practically see the excitement radiating from Jack.

'_You found a flat, then.'_

"Yes, its perfect, you'll love it!"

'_Jack, you should get what you like, my opinion isn't really important, is it?'_

"Of course it is, its for both of us."

Ianto's eyes narrowed at that comment. What was Jack thinking, for goodness sake? _'Jack, I thought you understood that I wasn't making any commitment to anything with you. So what do you mean its perfect for us?'_

"Its two apartments in a converted house. The lower floor, I was thinking of that one for you, its clean and modern and the upper one, OK it is a little bigger, more like a loft; I thought that one would be for me. Two separate entrances, and a back garden, Ianto you won't believe the size of it."

Ianto sighed to himself. He did agree that they could live in the same neighborhood, and he was looking for a property with a nice garden, but leave it to Jack to decide for both of them. Still it wouldn't hurt to look at it.

'_Ok, when can we go to Cardiff and see it?' _

"I've got all the specs right here on my computer. Assuming you like it, I've made an appointment for us this Saturday afternoon."

'_And if I don't.'_

Jack looked startled for just a moment. "Well of course I won't buy it if you don't like it."

Ianto had to call a time-out to get a few things clear with Jack. Things like why Jack was the one buying both flats, and if he liked it so much why wouldn't he buy the top unit regardless.

Jack hemmed and hawed a bit, finally confessing, "I want to know that my downstairs neighbor is quiet and reliable and I need to know you're OK Ianto. You can see who you want; you're not obligated to be with me. I worry about you…I uh, care for you, so please don't shut me out."

'This is so Jack,' Ianto thought as Jack pulled up the web site on his computer. Ianto had to admit that the converted house was stunning. Then he saw the price…500,000. He sat down hard on a chair Jack had pulled over to the computer.

'_Jack! How can you think of spending that kind of money on a two flat conversion? Its obscene.'_

Jack at least had the good sense to look abashed. "Uh, Ianto, it's actually five hundred thousand for your flat, the total cost is…well never mind. I've got it covered."

Ianto was having none of it. _'I'm not going to be a kept man. Either I pay for it, or its not happening.' _

"Ok," Jack said smiling.

Ianto realized that he had walked into the trap that Jack had set. '_Oi, and that's only if I like the place.'_

Jack gave him a wolfish grin. "Oh, I think you will."

They checked out the property and Ianto had to admit that it so exceeded his expectations that he couldn't see not buying it. But the cost still bothered him a lot. It wasn't that he couldn't afford it. Aaron's life insurance policy alone was worth over a million pounds. The insurance company didn't want to pay it due to the nature of his death, but a call from the palace took care of that dispute. And he had never touched his settlement from Canary Wharf which was almost two million now with interest.

But there were people still struggling to get their lives back together a year after the invasion and here he and Jack were buying an almost 2million property. It just didn't seem right. He worried about how it would look. Would others see them as profiting from the Invasion?

Even the King had made a show of solidarity with the public by stating that the bullet holes and other damage to the palace would not be fully fixed until every single citizen of the Commonwealth had a place to live.

Jack couldn't hear Ianto's thoughts like Aaron could, but he still had enough empathic ability to sense Ianto's anxiety.

"Yes, it's a bit extravagant, but really Ianto, I think you've paid as high a price as anyone these last years. Canary Wharf, the Invasion, losing Aaron, give yourself a break. Any one who begrudges you a comfortable retirement is not worth worrying about."

In the end, they bought the two flats. Jack sold his flat in London to Mickey for the price he paid for it more than 20 years earlier. The only piece of furniture Ianto took with him to Cardiff was Aaron's desk. Stephen took a few of the antique pieces from the house, and the rest was sold or donated to charity. After all, once Ianto's house was converted into a museum, there wouldn't be any place for the furniture to go. Jack gave away everything in his flat to a foundation that was helping people who had lost their possessions in the Invasion make a new start.

Ianto still fretted a bit about public reaction to the flats that he and Jack had bought, but since he was funding the Heroes of the Toclafane Invasion Museum out of his own pocket, he hoped that would offset any negative publicity.

A very basic farewell party was held at Torchwood London in recognition of Jack and Ianto's retirements. Jack may have acted like he didn't care about appearances, but he knew that any lavish party for them would be subject to criticism. Mickey had formed good relationships with UNIT and the UN over the last year and he didn't want anything to happen to jeopardize that.

Jack and Ianto had made numerous trips between London and Cardiff over the preceding year and a half, so the actual moving day consisted of driving to Cardiff with the last of their personal items.

They met for breakfast with Mickey and Stephen and Jonathan to say their goodbyes.

'_I'll be back at least every other month or so while we're in the planning stages of the museum so you won't be rid of me just yet.'_

Stephen and Jonathan and the rest of the museum board were already hard at work. "We should have plans from the three architectural firms that were chosen as finalists by the end of the month," Stephen pointed out. "You should probably plan on making a trip sometime around mid-February so we can meet and review the renderings."

'_That should work fine, weather permitting of course.' _The winter of 2040-2041 was turning out to be a lot colder than usual. London had already had more snow in December than it normally saw all winter. Ianto was relieved that virtually all of London's displaced population had acquired new shelter – most of it was basic prefabricated housing. There were about a hundred families living in family quarters on military bases who were still waiting for their units to be finished, but no one was left in the makeshift shelters and tent camps that had been constructed right after the Invasion.

As they finished up breakfast Jack got up and shook Stephen and Jonathan's hands. Finally he walked over to Mickey. "Mickey, you are going to be the best leader Torchwood has ever had. I'm so proud of you and I know the Doctor would be as well if he were here." Mickey was surprised to feel himself choking up a bit.

"Hey, hey," Jack said as he grabbed Mickey into a hug. "We're just going to be in Cardiff. Why don't you, why don't all of you come and visit once we get settled in," Jack said to the three men.

Ianto shook hands with Mickey, wishing him good luck. He hugged Jonathan and then Stephen who whispered, "if you want to be with Jack, you have my blessing." Ianto pulled back stared at him for a moment and then nodded his understanding.

"Ok, let's get the show on the road," Jack said a little impatiently.

"You're not letting him drive are you?" Jonathan asked Ianto in mock horror.

'_Yeah, I reckon it's the closest I'll be coming to the adrenaline rush of working for Torchwood now that I'm retired.'_

"My driving is not that bad," Jack said pouting a bit. "Besides if I let Ianto drive, it would take almost three hours to get to Cardiff."

"Uh, Jack. It's supposed to take three hours," Stephen pointed out.

"Details, details," Jack snarked as Ianto rolled his eyes in exasperation.


	93. Fruition

**SUMMARY: **Jack and Ianto establish a daily routine. The Heroes of the Invasion Museum is almost ready to open. King William has a dilemma that only he can resolve. This chapter is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: F_****_ame and power are the objects of all men. Even their partial fruition is gained by very few; and that, too, at the expense of social pleasure, health, conscience, life._****_Benjamin Disraeli_**

_**Pictures for this chapter may be found at: http: http:/ artwork_avivb dot livejournal dot com /4345 dot html (remove the spaces and put in the dots)  
**_  
A/N: I had a bit of a silly attack in the middle of writing this chapter. I had just finished talking to my brother about the fish he used to have...and their names. No I'm not kidding.

* * *

Ianto couldn't believe how quickly almost two years had passed. He had fallen into a comfortable rhythm with his life in Cardiff. The museum was continuing to come together a little behind schedule as the board never fussed about the inevitable construction delays. Four years since the Invasion had passed, but given the amount of building being done in London and the rest of Europe, it was no surprise that skilled tradesmen and quality building materials remained in short supply.

Still it looked like the museum would be ready to open in June of 2044.

Thanks to the work of his former teammates, the section covering the everyday ordinary heroes was shaping up nicely. Gwen and Rhys had researched reports about civilian, military, UNIT and Torchwood people throughout the United Kingdom who had stood fast in the face of the invaders.

Ianto was able to prevail on Tosh and Owen to help with the project as well. At first they wanted nothing to do with it, but when Ianto pointed out that someone was going to have to go and talk to the survivors of Torchwood Osaka, they agreed to do so. In the end, they traveled to India and Australia as well. Jack volunteered to travel to the Americas and research potential Canadian heroes as well as a few extraordinary stories that had come out of the United States and Latin America.

There was an entire section devoted to the defense of London including heroes from Torchwood, the Armed Forces and UNIT. Ianto knew that he and Jack and Aaron were featured but the board refused to let him see the final exhibit.

"Sorry Ianto," Jonathan told him during their most recent phone call, "but the King is insistent that none of the major honorees see the exhibit."

Ianto was disturbed by this, but what could he do? The King was after all going to be attending the opening and bestowing honors on Jack and Ianto and Aaron as well as on General McGregor.

When he told Jack about his concerns Jack proposed a novel solution. "We could break in, you know. It wouldn't be hard, and then there won't be any surprises."

Ianto just smiled and shook his head, 'no.' They had gotten into the habit of eating breakfast together, alternating between flats. _'I don't know about you Jack, but my lock-picking skills are a bit rusty. Not to mention, if we trip an alarm I can't run all that fast anymore. And besides, think how it would look if we got caught…the King would have to give us our medals in prison!'_

Jack snorted. "But think how exciting it would be," he said as he expertly flipped a pancake. "You, me, danger, dark alleys…"

'_Its exciting enough just being with in Cardiff with you, thanks very much. Let's see, you've managed to almost set your kitchen on fire making toast, almost flooded my flat when you were too stubborn to call a plumber and let's not forget the little stunt of driving on the sidewalk the other day because you wanted to get around a traffic jam.'_

"Yeah, guess I was pretty lucky that it was PC Andy that pulled us over. I'm really surprised he didn't take retirement after his injury. Wouldn't he have been eligible for a pension?"

Ianto knew that Jack was trying to change the subject, but let him get away with it.

'_You know I asked him the same thing when we first came back to Cardiff. I was at the pub with Gwen and Rhys and Andy came over and sat with us. Cardiff versus Swansea game, I think. Anyway, he said he didn't know what he would do with himself if he didn't keep working.'_

"Poor man, he never did marry or have any children did he? And now with his injury…"

It was Ianto's turn to snort. _'He's a bloody hero, Jack. Have you seen his current lady friend? She's quite pretty. Seriously, probably fifteen years younger than him and petite and blond and has a killer body. Or at least she will until she starts showing.' _Jack stared at Ianto in disbelief. '_Yep, Andy's going to be a father. Don't cry for him Argentina.' _

"Spoken like a true gentleman, Ianto," Jack teased.

'_Oi, I'm happy for him. He's a good man and deserves some happiness after everything he's been through. Dangerous surgury to try to save his eye and ends up losing it due to an infection he picked up at the hospital. Sometimes life just isn't fair, is it?'_"I think you just made the understatement of the 21st century," Jack mused.

After breakfast, Ianto would typically check his email, address any museum business and then go work in their garden for a few hours. Much to Jack's surprise, the garden was quite freeform. He had teased Ianto terribly when he first started to plan the garden.

"So Ianto, are you going to arrange the flowers by color? Or how about alphabetically?" Ianto was not amused and shot Jack a withering look. "No seriously, aren't you going to draw out everything so you have a nice neat and orderly garden?"

'_I don't need to. I know exactly what I want to do. And its all up here,' he said pointing to his head. _There was no way that Jack was going to point out that just the week before, Ianto was complaining about his increasing forgetfulness. Much to Jack's amazement, the garden had turned out quite nice. It was still a bit sparse in parts, but even after only two years, it was a real work of art.

Jack didn't know the names of all the plants Ianto used, but he loved the way everything looked so unorganized but when you stood back you could see the movement of color and light and shapes through the garden. Jack didn't help much with the actual gardening but he had constructed a small pond with a waterfall in one corner. He had surprised Ianto by adding some koi to the pool; just a few tiny ones knowing that they'd grow much larger at some point.

_'Uh Jack, it's charming really, but when it gets cold, the water will freeze and the koi won't survive.'_

Jack preened a bit. "I put in a heater, so the ice won't freeze and the fish will be fine." Ianto was impressed. Jack still often did things impetuously, but here he had taken the time to think things through. Unfortunately, Ianto was forced to revise his opinion a bit when the first winter came on cold. Jack hadn't really calibrated the temperature, so when he switched the heater on he ended up with poached koi. Fortunately, Ianto was out that day which gave Jack time to clean out the dead fish, get the heater working properly and buy some new fish.

'_Jack,'_ Ianto texted when he went into the yard, '_something's happened to the fish.'_

Jack cursed under his breath. He was sure he had removed all the dead fish and got everything working right. As he joined out Ianto by the fountain he was relieved to see the fish were fine. "Ianto, the fish look fine, what are you talking about?"

'_Look, the white one has a black spot on it. Do you think it has a fungus? And the dark orange one…wait, we don't have a dark orange one…these aren't the same fish! Jack what the hell is going on?'_

Jack grinned sheepishly at Ianto. Ianto rolled his eyes. "Ok, I had a little problem with the pump and somehow the fish…"

'_You let them freeze, didn't you? Oh those poor fish, I knew something like this was going to happen.'_

"Uh actually," Jack replied, "I par-boiled them. I know stupid of me. But see, I got you new ones. I tried to get them as close looking to the original ones as I could but they're all a little different you know…" His voice drifted off as he saw how upset Ianto was.

'_But they are not the same are they? Their personalities are completely different. Take the white one, he always ate first. This new white one is timid and shy, nothing like the original. How can he have the name Hoi Polloi Koi when he's nothing of the kind?'_

Jack mouthed the name of the fish silently. "What? You named them? You named the fish?" Jack was highly disturbed by this for some reason.

'_Yes I did. There was Myrna Loy Koi – the one that really swished her back end when she swam, Rob Roy Koi – you know the light orange one with the black on his tail, he would swim endlessly in circles like he was drunk, Hoi Polloi of course, Helen of Troy Koi – so regal...' _Ianto shook his head in exasperation. _'Ok, what did you do with them? You weren't planning on cooking them for dinner were you?'_

"Of course not. I fed them...uh…to… that big black and white cat that comes around…" Jack's voice trailed off as he saw the look of horror that had come over Ianto's face.

'_Oh, you didn't.'_

As if on cue the black and white tuxedo cat strolled into the garden, sat down and promptly threw up a stomach full of fish. Jack couldn't help it, he laughed, loudly.

'_You are cleaning that up,' _Ianto said as Jack turned to go into the house. _'Now! I have to go and think up names for all the new fish. As if I don't have enough to do.'_

Jack was still chuckling after Ianto had left the garden. "Hey it was funny," he told the cat. He watched the cat as he began to clean himself. "And how was I to know that he would name the fish and get attached to them? I'm mean really, who would name fish? It would be like naming a stray cat," he said looking again at the Tom. The cat stared back unsympathetically. "Ok, no more fish boils for you, Mr. Fred Astaire if you can't at least be on my side," he told the cat.

Domestic harmony did not always exist at the Harkness and Jones flats, but by the following winter Boy-toy Koi, Bok Choy Koi, Oi! Koi and Jump for Joy Koi were all swimming contentedly in their pool, safe from big bad cats by fine steel mesh netting tented over the fountain and from Captain Know-It-Alls by an electronic thermostatic heater.

In March of 2044, the King was dealing with a bit of disharmony at his own house. He had made a promise to Ianto that Aaron would receive a knighthood and now his advisors were trying to get him to reverse his decision.

"Terrance, I don't care if a Knighthood has never been awarded to a person posthumously, I made a promise and I'm a man of my word."

When the advisors tried to continue King William jumped in with, "Yes, yes I know all about the 2007 assassination attempt on my late grandmother in Uganda, but that was foiled by their security services. And the rumored attempts on her life by the IRA. Not to mention the numerous attempts on Queen Victoria's life. But I want you to name me a person who stood in front of attackers and took a bullet to save their lives."

No one had an answer.

"Good then its settled, the Museum is set to open on June 11th, and I want a ceremony arranged for those who are getting medals and such stemming from actions during the Invasion to all be honored at once. You will have final approval of all awards and honors by the end of the week." And with that William got up and walked out of the room.

In late May, as the last details were being put into place for the museum opening. Ianto made a final inspection of the site with the exception of the material that dealt with his own role in the Invasion (the King relenting on letting Ianto see Jack's and Aaron's displays ahead of time).

A fair amount of the space was devoted to the history of UNIT and Torchwood as well as a retelling of the invasion through recordings of ordinary citizens. A larger area covered ordinary heroes of the Invasion with multimedia presentations for each country of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. He found the personal effects of some of the heroes to be the most moving; items like a pair of eyeglasses from a utility worker who died protecting a power station, a shoe of a reporter from BBC Wales who stayed at her anchor desk reporting on the Invasion until she was finally cut down as well as PC Andy's battered coat that he was wearing when he was hit in the eye while defending Cardiff police headquarters. Ianto looked at all the items and wondered if they shouldn't discretely install some tissue dispensers near this part of the exhibit.

Going on to what had been the second floor of his and Aaron's home, the guest bedrooms had been converted into an area honoring members of UNIT, Torchwood and the military who fought during the Invasion. Ianto felt his chest tighten as he looked at tributes to Gwen, several dozen casualties at Torchwood London and at Torchwood Delhi. There was also a separate display of the Indian soldiers that had died trying to protect the Torchwood India site. And then there was Osaka. Kimiyo and over two hundred of her colleagues were honored for the brave fight they lost to the Toclafane.

The final two rooms were dedicated to the 'heroes' that the King would be honoring just prior to the museum opening. Ianto and Aaron's bedroom had been converted into a display of honors for four major leaders fighting against the Invasion. One section was covered as it was Ianto's display. He was tempted to take a peak, but in the end thought it was best just to go ahead with the agreed upon plan.

The irony was not lost on Ianto. 'Well I never thought I'd have Jack and Mickey let alone General McGregor with me in my bedroom. Could make for an interesting story. He was pleased that the information on Jack was totally positive. The UN's Security Council report was available on digital display in its entirety but the exhibit made it very clear that everyone from Torchwood to UNIT to the regular troops to the King himself, thought it was just so much rubbish.

Ianto came to the final room, Aaron's former study. At the King's insistence Aaron had been allotted the largest space. Ianto protested that it would be unseemly, but the King had prevailed. He almost didn't have the courage to look in the study but decided that in this case he didn't want to be surprised.

Ianto gasped. The Exhibit for Aaron was titled "The Making of a Hero" and covered Aaron's entire life from childhood to his death. There were pictures of him in Israel with his sisters and mother, with the Brigadier and Stephen and Bryan from his early days in London and later pictures of him in his Royal Marine uniforms. There was a database available full of testimonials from many of the Marines that had trained under Aaron as well as his fellow officers. There was even a personal testimonial from the King!

Ianto smiled as he examined the pictures more closely. 'Looks like Gwen got some of those pictures back from Tamara…but a few of these must have been Ronit's or Tamara's as I've never seen them before.' Then it hit him. There were no pictures of Geoffrey or himself with Aaron. He felt a wave of anger wash over him. 'I don't believe it. We're almost half way through the 21st century and we're still going to exclude any mention of…'

And then he saw them. Two collages of pictures were on the wall. One was a reproduction of the pictures of Aaron with Geoffrey that Ianto had put together so long ago and the other was a new one of Aaron and himself. The new one was even more beautiful than the one he had made.

'I know who's responsible for this,' Ianto thought as he made a call on his cell phone.

"Hello."

'_Jack, I'm here looking at Aaron's exhibit at the museum and I'm astonished by two sets of pictures. You wouldn't have any idea where these came from would you?' _

Jack couldn't tell from the voice software if Ianto was upset or not. 'Best to be straightforward,' Jack thought. "I had a copy of the Geoffrey collage made and borrowed the pictures from your albums and computer files to have the other one done. And don't worry; the original pictures are all back where they belong."

'_I can't believe you did this. I don't know whether to punch you or kiss you when I get back to Cardiff.'_

"Both are fine with me. Oh, and Ianto, you'll find a copy of your collage in your home office next to Geoffrey's."

'_Punch you then kiss it all better, that's what I'm going to do.'_

"Hurry home Ianto, I miss you."


	94. Rekindling

**SUMMARY: **Jack and Ianto travel to London to receive recognition from the King and participate in the opening of The Heroes of the Invasion Museum. Gwen and Rhys learn something surprising about Jack and Ianto. This chapter is rated PG-13 for sexual situations

**_Title is from: _****_In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. _****_Albert Schweitzer_**_**  
**__**  
**_

* * *

It was a sunny and mild day when Jack and Ianto traveled to London together. It was four years since the Invasion and looking around as they drove through the streets of London they couldn't believe how quickly everything had been rebuilt. The Torchwood London building showed no signs of damage and all of central London was busy with people going to and from work, shopping, eating in restaurants as if nothing catastrophic had happened a few years before.

They had arrived several days early to give them a chance to check in on friends and prepare for the ceremonies at the palace as well as the opening of the museum. Owen and Tosh as well as Gwen and Rhys would also be traveling to London but not until the evening before the ceremonies.

They had all made reservations at the same hotel reckoning that would also allow them to spend some time together. Gwen and Rhys arrived at the hotel late afternoon the day before Ianto was going to be knighted, checked in and asked for the room numbers for Jones and Harkness.

"They are in suite number 2314," the hotel clerk replied.

"Sorry which of them is in 2314?" Rhys asked.

"Uh…there is just the one suite reserved under Harkness-Jones."

Gwen and Rhys looked at each other in disbelief. As they made their way to their own room Rhys blurted out, "They're shacking up, I told you they were."

Gwen shushed him. "Rhys, be quiet, the whole hotel can hear you."

The nature of the relationship between Jack and Ianto had been a matter of some speculation not only between Rhys and Gwen, but Owen, Tosh and Andy. Rhys and Tosh were convinced that Ianto and Jack had become lovers, Owen thought they were 'friends with benefits' and Gwen thought they were just best friends.

Andy refused to venture an opinion. "Whatever they are, they obviously want to keep it private, so I'm not even going to speculate," Andy told Gwen and Rhys at the pub several weeks before. "Oh come on Andy," Rhys said, "you can see the little looks they give each other when they think no one is looking…why it reminds me of the old days when…"

"Rhys, please don't," Gwen interrupted. "You are acting like a nosy gossip. I don't know why you are so obsessed with them. It's really not nice."

Now as they headed toward their room, Gwen had to admit that maybe she had been mistaken. She felt a bit relieved when she and Rhys went up to Jack and Ianto's suite for drinks and discovered that it was a two-bedroom suite. "See," she whispered to Rhys while Jack and Ianto were mixing the drinks, "two bedrooms, you are so wrong."

They sat and chatted a while about the upcoming events. "Ianto, are we going to have to call you Sir after tomorrow?" Rhys teased.

'_Of course, and you must also scrape and bow in my presence.'_

"Rhys, he's been insufferable enough as it is," Jack said. "Please don't encourage him."

"I think Captain Jack is a bit jealous," Gwen observed.

"I am not," Jack said convincing no one, not even himself.

Gwen and Rhys wouldn't be at the ceremony as it was only the honorees that were to attend, but they would be at the reception afterwards as well as the opening ceremonies of the museum the following morning.

Rhys surprised everyone by asking Ianto what he was wearing to the palace and to the museum. "I only have one suit really, but I brought a blazer. I just wasn't sure if I could wear that to the palace or not."

Ianto thought that Rhys should save the suit for the museum opening as he and Gwen would be part of the ceremonies, not just drinking cocktails at a reception.

"You should see Ianto's suits," Jack laughed. "He never wears them anymore but he went out and bought two very expensive ones."

'_Well it's not everyday that you get to be knighted. I thought it called for something special, not something that was years out of date.'_

"And will you be wearing your usual red or purple shirt?" Gwen asked.

Ianto snorted. '_Goodness no. I'm not a kid anymore and the last thing I want is to draw attention to myself.'_

Gwen was shocked that Jack agreed. "There's been enough nastiness over Aaron's knighthood. I think Ianto's smart to play it on the conservative side."

With some cajoling, Jack showed them his two suits – a plain black and a black with grey pinstripes. White shirts and quiet black and grey striped ties. "My god," Rhys laughed, "you look like a waiter at a fancy restaurant." 'Or an undertaker,' he thought to himself.

Ianto went to get his two suits and was surprised that Rhys offered to help. Ianto opened his closet and pulled out the suits. "Oi, and let's see the shirts and ties. I know you aren't going with all black on black like Jack."

Ianto smiled and took them out of a drawer and handed them to Rhys. He had bought a dark charcoal grey suit for the palace which he was going to wear with a white shirt and grey and red club tie and a dark navy pinstripe with a light blue shirt and a navy and light blue dot pattern for the museum.

Rhys whistled in appreciation. "That must have set you back a bit. You always did like nice clothes."

They chatted some more and finally Gwen and Rhys excused themselves. It had been a long drive; they were tired and wanted to grab a quick dinner out. Jack and Ianto declined to join them.

"I think we'll just order in some room service. You probably haven't noticed that the hotel is swarming with security so I think we should just keep a low profile."

Gwen and Rhys hadn't but it made sense. Jack was still a controversial figure from the Invasion and even Ianto didn't escape all criticism. And the King breaking with tradition and awarding a knighthood posthumously was making the conservative media crazy.

"I'm sorry that's still an issue," Gwen told them sincerely. "You'd think they'd have bigger things to worry about wouldn't you?"

'_That's exactly why they are focusing on this issue, so they don't have to face up to the fact that their new austerity measures are going to grind the economy to crawl,' _Ianto said. They spoke for a few more minutes and agreed to meet for breakfast in the hotel restaurant at 9 AM.

No one mentioned inviting Tosh and Owen as Owen still wasn't really speaking to Jack. His unresolved anger was the one cloud that hung over the team's relationship. He was always happy to see Ianto at the pub, but on the rare occasions when Jack joined them, Owen would go off by himself play darts, brood and invariably drink too much. Even with cajoling from the others Jack had declined to join the group for the last year and a half.

When they got back to their room, Gwen smirked, "see, two rooms, and Ianto's clothes are in a different room from Jack's."

"Oi maybe you can explain why Ianto's bed hasn't been slept in."

Gwen looked like she had been struck. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Oh and when I used Jack's bathroom I noticed that there were two razors. Could be that Jack's getting very hairy in his old age, but somehow I doubt it."

Gwen groped around in her purse. "I have to call Tosh," she said as she retrieved her cell.

Rhys chuckled as he listened to Gwen tell Tosh about their discovery. He could hear Tosh laughing and Owen grousing from the phone. "Yeah, we're going to head out for some dinner. If you want you could stop by our room and we could compare our latest pictures of KD. Ok leave us a message when you get in and settled if we're not back from dinner."

"And I'm the nosy gossip, then," Rhys teased after Gwen had ended the call.

'_We are so busted,' _Ianto typed after Gwen and Rhys left the room.

"What? How do you mean?"

'_Oh come on Jack. Since when has Rhys Williams been interested in anyone's clothes?' _Jack shook his head in confusion._ 'Yeah, that oh let me help you Ianto bit was just a ruse to get to see if my bed had been slept in…and it hasn't.'_

"Do you really think so? I can't believe they still are interested in what the two of us get up to."

'_I bet you Gwen was calling Tosh and Owen the minute she got back to their rooms to tell them all about Rhys' discovery.'_

Jack and Ianto weren't so much keeping their relationship a secret as not wanting to have to explain to everyone what had happened in the past year. In fact, they wouldn't have known how to explain the transition or define their relationship if asked.

After moving back to Cardiff they found themselves spending most of their evenings together. They both liked to watch movies, but they always seemed to start too late and often fell asleep on the one of their sofas. Whoever woke up first would wake up the other and sheepishly they would sort themselves out.

That was until one evening when Jack wasn't feeling well. Jack rarely got sick, but when he did he was the biggest baby.

'_Jack, I know you don't feel well, but you are being extremely bad tempered,'_ Ianto told him as they watched the movie.

Really, though it was Ianto that was trying to watch the movie, while Jack fussed and complained. "I'm too hot," Jack said as Ianto tried to give him a blanket. Ten minutes later Jack whined, "Where's that blanket, Ianto? I'm freezing. Why did you take it away?"

Jack was thirsty and wanted water. Then he wanted tea. Then he was hungry. Then he felt queasy. And if Ianto asked him to wait a minute so he could finish watching a scene Jack got petulant. "I can't believe that you care about that movie more than you do about me."

Ianto looked at Jack and couldn't stop himself from grinning. Jack was bit flushed, his hair was hanging over his forehead and his lower lip was pushed out. _'You're pouting, you're really pouting,' _Ianto sighed. _'You are such a big baby, Jack. Let's get you back upstairs.'_

But when Jack got up and tried to walk, he almost lost his balance and ended up hanging on to a table in the entryway so he wouldn't fall. Ianto took him back to the sofa and felt his forehead. Jack was burning up.

'_Alright. You're certainly not well. Let's get you to bed.'_

Ianto began to walk Jack to his bedroom until he saw the look on Jack's face. '_Look, you're sick, and you shouldn't be up in your flat by yourself. The bed is big enough. You stay in your pants and I'll put on some pajamas and it'll be fine.'_

Jack wasn't sure it was a good idea but he was too sick to protest. They fell asleep quickly turned away from each other. When Ianto woke up the next morning he really wasn't surprised to find that Jack was sleeping with his body half wrapped around Ianto. He was surprised however, that he didn't feel awkward about it. 'Well, it's been three and a half years since Aaron died,' Ianto reckoned. 'And I miss being close to someone…and I do care about Jack…'

Ianto sighed. If he let this progress, he needed to acknowledge that Jack was who he was. He couldn't ask for or expect anything except some great sex and a warm bed. And after three and a half years of celibacy, that sounded pretty good to him.

Jack groaned in his sleep and tightened his arms around Ianto as Ianto pushed himself back closer into Jack's embrace. Ianto turned and examined Jack's face. He really didn't look too much older than he did when Ianto first met him. But the small lines around the eyes bespoke a weariness that Ianto knew came from his thousand year search for the Master.

As Ianto ran a finger down one of Jack's smile lines, he opened his eyes. "Hello gorgeous. What are we doing in bed together?" Jack asked. The fever had broken, but Jack had only a fuzzy memory of the night before. 'Uh…did we…you know."

'_No, but if you're up to it, I'd like to.'_

Jack gave Ianto a wolfish smile. "When have I ever not been up to it" he said as he kissed Ianto gently on the lips.

Their lovemaking was surprisingly slow and tender. This was not the wild tango they had danced to so many years before, but an intimate waltz between two people who have known each other a long time and were completely comfortable with each other.

They began to sleep together almost every night staying in whichever flat they happened to be in when they got tired. They never spoke about their being together except once when they first started the overnight stays.

'_Jack, I know you're a much more sexual person than I am, especially now that I'm older,' _Ianto told Jack a month after they had first slept together. _'Don't feel you can't see other people and do what you like.' _

Jack looked at Ianto laying next to him. Ianto would be sixty in a few months and Jack could clearly see the toll that Torchwood had taken on him. Ianto was greyer than Jack, almost completely grey in fact. His face wasn't too lined; he'd put on some weight as he had aged softening the angular lines of his once youthful face and body. But there was no getting away from it. Ianto's libido wasn't what it once was. Ianto still liked sex, no problem there, but he no longer was the quick reload multi-orgasmic man Jack once knew. Still Jack couldn't think of anyone he wanted to be with more than Ianto.

"Ianto, I don't want to be with anyone else."

Ianto was stunned. _'Jack don't tell me that if you don't mean it. I'm serious when I say that I didn't mind if you're not monogamous.'_

"Would you believe it if I told you that I'd mind?"

'_Ok, who are you and what have you done with Jack Harkness?' _Ianto teased.

"I guess I've changed. You know a thousand years of one-night stands will do that to a guy. I never wanted to be tied down because I knew that I would have to watch the other person grow old and die. But I finally realized that never having anyone you can count on or depend on you is just as painful. So if I'm going to live forever, I might as well stop and enjoy myself on the way. It's not like I don't have the time."

'_Are you staying here on earth forever then Jack?'_

"No, just...uh... your forever. Though I might just hang around a bit longer if anyone else from our original team is still alive at that point."

Ianto rolled his eyes. _'I understand. Gwen does look pretty good for someone who's about to become a grandmother.' _

"Oh stop that," Jack said kissing Ianto on the forehead. 'I know you're not really jealous of Gwen. And besides, Rhys would kill me."

Ianto sighed and returned the kiss. Things were finally settling down for the retired members of Torchwood. Tosh and Owen seemed to have finally begun to make peace with the loss of Kimiyo, while Gwen had never wavered in her resolve to continue her life as fully as possible after her injury. And working on the museum project was bringing them all back together again as a team.

Of course the fact that Ricky and Bronwen were expecting their first baby a few months before the museum was scheduled to open probably had a little bit to do with it as well. They knew they were having a girl and had picked the names Kordelia Dee in honor of Kimiyo and Gwen's long deceased mother Dierdre. Even before she was born, they were all calling her KD (Kaydee).

Once the baby was born, Ianto saw how the birth of this new life acted as a healing balm for the losses experienced by all of them, but most of all for Owen. Ianto was gob-smacked when he and Jack were asked to be godparents in conjunction with KD's christening which was held about a month after the trip to London. But he was thoroughly stunned when after the service; Owen and Jack strolled together through the cemetery next to the church and spent a long time talking in front of Kimiyo's grave. When they rejoined the others at the front of the church it was obvious that both men had shed tears. But now an aura of calm surrounded them as they finally made peace.


	95. Honors

**SUMMARY: **Heroes of the Invasion are honored by King William. The Torchwood team attends the opening of the The Heroes of the Invasion Museum. Owen struggles to cope with Kimiyo's death. This chpater is rated G/PG.

**_Title is from: _**_Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them. Aristotle__  
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_**A/N: Pictures of the medals awarded can be found at : **_http:/ artwork_avivb .livejournal .com (remove the spaces and copy into your browser)

* * *

While numerous medals and honors had been bestowed on military and government officials following the Invasion, awards to civilians had never before been given much public emphasis. But now, a huge publicity event around the awards was planned. The last hour of the ceremony was to be televised on BBC1 causing much consternation to normal television viewers. The preemption of The Eastenders – The Grandchildren's' Stories caused an unprecedented outcry.

"Disgraceful misuse of authority," the Daily Blather railed. Flixx News London was hardly better, their morning headline reading, "Give Us Eastenders Or Give Us Death."

The King sighed as he looked the papers over. "Its only four years and already people have forgotten," he said to his Ministers. "Do they think we're never going to be invaded again? Do they not understand what the success of the Invasion would have meant for the entire nation, let alone the planet?"

The Ministers didn't bother to reply. They knew William was just venting…the criticism over the ceremony and the awarding of a posthumous knighthood had intensified in the weeks leading up to today.

"Well best get ready. I can't wait to see what the press has to say after the ceremony." William left his breakfast half finished; his appetite having disappeared after seeing the blog report from The Royal Flush web site. "The monarchy once again shows how useless and out of touch it is," he muttered. "Yes, yes we wouldn't want to ruin everyone's daytime television watching for something as insignificant as recognizing those who saved our nation. Probably a good thing I didn't hold it during the evening as originally planned…I can just imagine what would have been said if I had pushed Britain's Got Talent off the air."

At the hotel, the Torchwood Team was having a surprisingly similar conversation.

'_I really don't why the King insisted on this being televised. Does it make any difference to those of us receiving the recognition?'_

"It makes sense though," Gwen said. "I think he wants people to know that he appreciates the contributions of regular citizens. It's sad that giving up programming for one hour is creating such a fuss."

"I think the real problem is that people just don't want to think about it," Rhys offered. "If they aren't reminded about it, it's much easier to push it to the back of your brain and pretend that it never happened."

'_Or that it was years ago, so nothing to worry about.'_

"What worries me," Jack frowned, "is that everyone seems to think that this will never happen again."

Rhys froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Oi, what are you saying? Is there going to be another invasion?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just speculating."

"Right. Jack you said 'will never happen' not 'could happen.' Sounds like you know something."

Jack continued to deny knowing anything, but his words clearly belied that. Ianto felt them like a cold stone on his heart. 'Not again,' he thought. 'Please, not in my lifetime at least. Can't we just have a few quiet years for ourselves?'

Gwen noticed that Ianto had stopped eating and was staring off into space.

"Ianto are you OK?" Ianto startled as his thoughts were brought back to the present.

'_I'm fine. Just thinking.' _When pressed he continued_, 'Do you think the people will ever know the truth about Canary Wharf? That was really the first attack by aliens.'_

"Doubtful," Jack said frowning. "And no," he said looking pointedly at Rhys, "I don't know whether the public ever finds out. But I think it would have to be at least a generation or two before anything sealed under the Secrets Act comes out. There are still files from World War II that haven't been unsealed."

As they continued to talk Jack noticed how little breakfast Ianto had eaten. "You better eat something, Ianto. You don't want to faint in front of the King let alone a televised audience of, oh, at least a couple of dozen people."

Ianto smiled but Jack could sense how upset the conversation had made him. "I think we'll just head back to the room for a bit," Jack told Gwen and Rhys. We'll see you all at the reception afterwards, OK."

As Ianto and Jack walked away, Gwen took Rhys hands in hers. "I hope we and our children and our children's children never have to deal with an alien threat. But by gods, if we do, there's no excuse for us not being ready the next time around."

Back in their room, Jack was sitting on a sofa listening to Ianto retch up the little bit of breakfast he had eaten. Ianto came out of the bathroom looking grey.

"Come here," Jack said motioning Ianto over to the sofa. "What's bothering you and don't you dare say nothing."

Ianto sat down on the sofa and put his head on Jack's shoulder. '_I know you can't say, but all I can think about is if there's another invasion during my lifetime, I hope I go like Johnny. A quick, painless heart attack would be fine by me.'_

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Shhh, Ianto don't say that," Jack whispered as he pulled Ianto into an embrace.

'_I'm serious Jack, I don't want to go through this for the third time._ _I don't want to see my family or anyone's family suffer.'_

Jack thought about this for a few moments. He knew he shouldn't, but what harm could it do, really. "Ianto, I think there won't be another invasion for a long time, hundreds of years in fact. OK? I'm just speculating of course…"

Ianto turned and kissed Jack. 'Thank you,' he pushed out. Ianto got up to wash his face as they needed to be leaving for the palace.

'And he really doesn't need to know that the planet will be in almost total ruins when that happens. Between global warming and that small nuclear war, most of the population will have chosen to travel through the galaxy to new homes on new worlds. But of those who stayed behind…' Jack cut his thoughts off abruptly as he heard Ianto heading back into the sitting area.

"Ready?"

'_Yeah, let's go then.'_

The whole investiture took several hours, only the last hour being broadcast. Prior to broadcast, almost one hundred civilians were awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal, a decoration for civilian bravery. Included in that group were Gwen, Tosh and Owen. Several hundred more were awarded to the survivors of civilians who had perished while defending the nation. Owen was in tears as he accepted the Medal in Kimiyo's honor. Every ordinary civilian citied at the museum for extraordinary action protecting the state and crown (or their families if deceased) received this medal. Recipients and family members came not only from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India (as part of the Commonwealth of Nations).

Finally, the televised portion of the ceremony began. The King made a stirring speech about the importance of service to King and Country and Planet Earth.

Ianto's presentation was first. The King briefly spoke of Ianto's survival of the terrorist attack at Canary Wharf, his many years working for Torchwood protecting the planet, and his sacrifice in protecting his life during the invasion. Ianto was awarded the George Cross, the highest level of recognition for a civilian. The King then inducted Ianto as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, for special service to the King. As Ianto knelt for the Accolade, the traditional sword taps on the shoulder, he glanced up to see the King wink at him. As he stood back up he was shocked when William told the gathering that Ianto had been a great friend to his grandmother and that he considered Ianto a member of his family.

The next presentation was for Aaron. The King briefly but poignantly described Aaron's sacrifice allowing him to escape to safety. "What can I give a man who saved my life? As I stand before you today, I am certain of one thing. If not for the sacrifice of Lt. Colonel Aaron Hamilton of the Royal Marines, I would not be here to address you today. This knighthood is a symbolic act of personal gratitude. He has no children to establish titles on, nor any descendants to honor him. It's my small way of assuring that his name is not lost to history. And though he was retired from active service, Aaron Hamilton never stopped being a soldier. His last words as he saluted me were, 'For King and Country.' Therefore his honors are those befitting an officer of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom."

Aaron was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for valor in the face of the enemy. He was also invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Bath. Ianto was given his medallion and cross as well as presented with the Elizabethan Cross as the next of kin of a member of the Armed Services killed in an act of war or a terrorist attack.  
Finally, Jack and Mickey were brought forward to receive their honors. Both were awarded the George Cross, the highest award granted to a civilian, and Jack was additionally honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross. The King explained, "While Captain Harkness is not an official member of the British Air Force, his multi-year quest across space and time to destroy the Toclafane certainly qualifies as an act of valour, courage and devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy. Additionally he is hereby declared to be an Air Officer of the Royal Air Force and awarded the honorary rank of Air Commodore.

While this last award was not as controversial as Aaron's Knighthood, the attendees were taken by surprise as the King had only discussed it the week before with his closest advisors. William was determined that Jack's award not be tainted by criticism prior to its announcement. He caught a glimpse of a UN official who looked extremely unhappy about this final honor conferred on Jack. 'You may have to bow to political pressure,' William thought, 'but as King, I don't. It's about time someone acknowledged that without Jack Harkness, mankind could have well been wiped out.'

The reception that followed was very low key. The Torchwood Team admired Jack and Ianto's medals. "So Ianto," Owen asked "what are you going to do with Aaron's honors and awards?"

'_All of our medals are going on display at the museum…with one exception,_' Ianto answered as he looked around the room in search of something. He apparently spotted what he was looking for waving to someone across the room. It was Stephen.

"I thought I'd never find you in this crowd. Well done, both of you," he told Jack and Ianto. Ianto stepped closer to Stephen and pinned the Elizabeth Cross on his lapel.

'_As his closest relation, that should be yours.' _Stephen was stunned. He fingered the pin and then hugged Ianto.

"This mean so much to me Ianto, you just can't imagine," his voice breaking with emotion. Ianto just smiled, as he had a very good idea how important it was to Stephen to be included in the honors for Aaron.

By the time the reception had finished there was just enough time for the team to proceed over to the museum. There had been rumors that there would be protesters outside during the opening ceremonies, but when they arrived, they were no where to be seen. It wasn't until afterwards that the team learned that the police decided to cordon off the block around the Museum and kept the protesters confined to a small area where they couldn't be seen or heard by the guests. Some of the neighbors weren't thrilled by all the security but most were proud to have been an acquaintance if not a friend of Aaron and Ianto.

There were more speeches including one from the Prime Minister as well as Ianto and Jack. Gwen and Tosh were recognized for their assistance in compiling information on civilian casualties and Owen received a special citation from the Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom for his research on non-officer heroes of the Invasion.

Stephen, Jonathan and the other members of the board were introduced and Stephen said a few words about the history of the family home and how his father, the late Brigadier, would have approved of the idea of making the home into a museum honoring service and sacrifice to the nation.

A crowd of several hundred slowly wound their way through the museum. Aaron and Ianto's home was certainly large by any standards, but as a museum the space was tight and visitors were guided through the museum along a defined path leading to the final exhibits in what was formerly Ianto's and Aaron's bedroom and Aaron's study. The team made their way at the head of the visitors through the rooms. Jonathan and Stephen stayed at the main entrance to greet the as various dignitaries that were expected to visit throughout the day.

The team made their way through the rooms depicting the history of Torchwood and UNIT and then into the space devoted to the heroism of ordinary citizens. There were some amazing stories including PC Andy's solo fight to protect the Cardiff police headquarters and its critical communications center. In addition to his coat, pictures of Andy before and after the Invasion were displayed including one with his wife and baby son. Gwen pulled out a small camera and discretely took pictures to give to Andy.

They skipped the multimedia presentation and made there way to the section covering the involvement of the military, Torchwood and UNIT in defending the United Kingdom and the world. At the display of Torchwood heroes, Gwen laughed when she saw the picture of a much younger self along with Rhys, Owen and Tosh.

"Oi, who is that sexy young woman in the black leather pants?" she joked.

Tosh sighed. "Didn't Ianto take that picture when Jack first went off with the Doctor?" An awkward silence followed.

'_Yeah, it was at my 25__th__ birthday party that Gwen and Rhys had at their house. I can't remember, but I think I had already decided to go to London at that point and I wanted a picture of you guys to put on my desk.'_

"A lot's happened since then. But here we are, all back together again in Cardiff. Just like old times," Jack said trying to lighten the mood.

The next area was in honor of other Torchwood casualties around the world. Most of the space was devoted to Delhi and Osaka where Torchwood sustained the greatest casualties. Owen hadn't said a word the entire time they had walked through the museum. But when he saw the picture of Kimiyo he whispered her name and began to cry. As the team went to comfort him, Ianto pulled Jack away to the displays of UNIT and military casualties.

'_I don't think he wants to interact with us right now.'_

"You mean me, don't you."

'_He's just beginning to come to terms with her death. Tosh says he's only started to talk about her in the last few months. So just like the UN, he needs to blame someone…'_

"Like me." Ianto nodded in agreement.

They waited for the rest of the team and then made their way to the last two rooms. Ianto had seen everything here except his own exhibit. Jack's exhibit was carefully arranged with pictures that made him look like he had aged over the years, including one that was made especially for the exhibit where he looked almost completely gray.

"Jack, you really are dying your hair now," Rhys said unable to stifle his surprise.

"Uh not really…" he said dropping his voice to a whisper. "I had my hair dyed for the picture – I should be….what almost seventy by now."

"A very well preserved seventy," Mickey snarked. "You'd almost think he spent his retirement funds on plastic surgery."

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it," Jack retorted smiling.

They made their way over to Mickey's display. "Hey, look at this picture of Mickey looking very dashing in his younger years at Torchwood One." Mickey smiled at Jack's teasing.

"And look," Tosh said excitedly. "There's Mickey and all of us just a couple of months before the invasion. The picture was of the original team members still at Cardiff, along with Mickey, Ricky and Penny." Tosh captured the picture on her cell phone to take back to Torchwood Three.

"Oh…there's one of Mickey and Rose Tyler," Jack said. "And the Doctor," he added sadly.

Ianto put his arm around Jack's shoulder. _'While we were expressly forbidden to mention any of the details of Canary Wharf or the Doctor, I wanted to make sure they weren't forgotten.'_

"Thank you, Ianto," Jack whispered.

General McGregor's display got a quick look by the team. His distinguished military career was portrayed as well as his devotion to his wife, daughter and two grandchildren.

As he approached the case Ianto felt panicked until he felt Jack discretely squeeze his hand.

"I hear the next exhibit is quite interesting," Jack whispered. Ianto rolled his eyes exactly as Jack knew he would.

When they reached his exhibit, Ianto smiled. His display was titled, "An Ordinary Man Living in Extraordinary Times." And unlike the other major honorees, his story, much like Gwen's emphasized his very typical working class Welsh upbringing, and his desire to go to college in London. From there it followed the very unique elements of Ianto's life. Recruitment by Torchwood on a dare, surviving the Terrorist Attack at Canary Wharf, recovering from his injuries and dealing with his loss of speech, joining Torchwood Three, moving to Torchwood One, traveling around the world training Torchwood and UNIT field teams with Aaron, returning to London just in time for the Toclafane Invasion, it was all there. The display then covered his key role in preparing for the invasion, protecting the King and testifying before the UN Security Council during its investigations. The finally piece of the exhibit discussed Ianto's determination to have a space for remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives to protect the United Kingdom from the Toclafane.

'_I was so worried that this would make me into some type of larger than life persona. I know you had a hand in this,' _he told Jack.

"Well we all did really. Gwen and Tosh and even David and Stephen all took part in planning your exhibit. We knew you'd never want to be thought of as a heroic figure, though you are of course. So we agreed that the message of your display should be that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when necessity calls. Though personally," Jack said lowering his voice a bit, "I have never doubted that you are a very, very extraordinary person in every aspect of your being."

'_Why do I get the feeling that you are going to be interesting in only one area of my awesomeness as soon as we get back to the hotel,' _Ianto snarked.

"And you can read minds as well. Just amazing."

They made their way to the final room with Aaron's display. Ianto was glad he had viewed it ahead of time. Still, it was very emotional for him especially when everyone fussed about the new collage.

'I made one for Aaron, Jack made one for me, but who will ever get to make one for Jack?' he thought sadly.

"Hey," Jack said, "are you OK?"

Ianto nodded but Jack could tell that he very upset.

They had all planned on going out to dinner together, but Ianto was exhausted and Owen was almost numb and Gwen had a feeling that the evening would end in tears, an argument or both.

"I think Rhys, Tosh, Owen and me are going to go out for a few drinks. Anyone want to join us?" Mickey decided that a few drinks with his old team would be nice and opted to go with them.

Jonathan and Stephen had rejoined the group and everyone knew that Stephen wouldn't go into a pub or restaurant bar. 'Clever Gwen,' Ianto thought.

'_Well, Stephen doesn't drink, so would you mind if we just went to dinner with him and Jonathan?'_

Gwen very deftly apologized for not remembering about Stephen and Ianto assured her that it was not a problem.

'_Hey, it's fine we'll see you back in Cardiff in a few days. And it will give our poker and pizza club a chance for a little reunion.'_

Everyone knew that a potentially disastrous evening had narrowly been avoided. Everyone except Owen who was so lost in his own thoughts that he seemed barely aware of what had just transpired.

Gwen went over and hugged Ianto goodbye. "You're the best," she whispered to him. 'You too," he said pushing out hard with his thoughts. Gwen looked at Ianto in surprise. He smiled and nodded.

Jack shook hands with Mickey and told the others that he and Ianto would see them back in Cardiff. He hugged and kissed Gwen and Tosh and slapped Rhys on the back. When he walked over to Owen, he saw that Owen wasn't really processing events and just looked at him in bewilderment. Jack started to reach out to him, but Owen didn't seem to notice. Finally, Jack grabbed Owen, hugged him tightly and kissed him on the forehead. As Jack walked away, Owen blinked a few times and seemed to come back to himself.

Oi. Did I just get kissed by Jack Harkness?" Owen asked in disbelief as he touched his forehead. Tosh couldn't help it, the emotion of the day overwhelmed her and she began to laugh. To their surprise, Owen began to laugh along with her. "Does anyone have some weevil spray? I need to be able to defend myself against Ianto." Like giggles in church, the laughter proved contagious and soon Rhys, Gwen and Mickey were laughing as well.

As they left to find a pub, Owen felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his soul.

Jack stood with his lover and his friends and watched the group exit the museum. He too felt immeasurably lighter and freer than he had in a long, long time.


	96. The Beginning of the Ending

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SUMMARY: The Team shares their happiness together, but there is loss as well. Jack and Ianto's relationship takes an unexpected turn. This chapter is rated PG-13 - for a few sexual references.

Title is from: I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. Gilda Radner

Only 3 chapters and an Epilogue to go.

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SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE: IANTO'S JOURNEY AND SEVERAL OTHER STORIES OF MINE POSTED ON FF HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR CHILDREN OF TIME AWARDS OVER AT LIVE JOURNAL. If you've been enjoying this story perhaps you'd like to give it your vote. You do not have to be a member of LJ to vote.

Voting instructions can be found here: http:/ aviv-b. livejournal. com/66092. html (Just remove the spaces and copy into your browser). Thanks again for reading this story!

* * *

The years following the opening of the Museum were filled with love and joy for the members of Torchwood.

Tosh and Owen and Gwen and Rhys took turns spoiling their shared granddaughter, Kordelia. Owen especially doted on Kori and gradually was able to make some peace with the loss of Kimiyo.

Rhys Jr., now in his early forties, finally married Emma Griffiths his longtime (and according to Gwen, long suffering) girlfriend. By their first anniversary, Emma was pregnant and in the spring gave birth to a son, Rhys III. Eighteen months later, twin girls, Bethan and Tegwen were born.

With three kids in diapers, Rhys Jr. and Emma were grateful to have one set of parent's nearby. "I've never changed so many diapers in one day, ever," Rhys told his mates at the pub quiz night. "I never knew babysitting for one day could be so exhausting."

Everyone smiled as Rhys continued to tell everyone about his grandchildren. Owen and Tosh chimed in with Kordelia's latest exploits. She had started school and was brilliant of course.

Not to be outdone, Andy passed around some new pictures of his little boy Arwyn who was almost seven. While Andy and Arwyn's mother hadn't stayed together, they both were totally devoted to the little red-haired boy. "Yeah, he's going to have the best of everything. No police work for him. Going to get a good education so he can have a posh life like you lot." Everyone laughed at the idea of their 'posh' lives.

Only Ianto and Jack didn't have stories of young children to share. But Ianto was justifyingly proud of his great-niece. Rose Davies, David and Claire's daughter grew into an intelligent and poised woman with degrees in aeronautics and astronomy. She accepted a position at Cardiff University rather than a more prestigious offer she had in London as she didn't want to be too far from her family, especially her great-uncle Ianto.

Jack and Owen became friends again, good naturedly teasing each other about their shared ineptitude at darts.

"Oi, you've missed the target entirely," Jack told Owen.

"At least I have being drunk as an excuse. What's yours? And don't say you wanted to hit the barman in the bum with the dart."

"I have to let Ianto and Rhys win at least one game, otherwise…."

"No fun for Captain Jack, when he gets home," Owen surmised. Jack nodded.

The truth of Ianto and Jack's relationship was a bit different than their friends' perceptions. Everyone was happy that they were together but assumed it was due more to comfort and familiarity than to any sort of deep attachment. But Jack and Ianto had grown to love each other with an intensity that no one, not even they themselves had expected.

When they first rekindled their relationship, Ianto was at a point in life where he was willing to accept what Jack was able to give. He felt that his best days were done and that he would never have another love like Aaron.

Jack, however, had finally realized that he was at the beginning of the long road to eternity and instead of hiding from commitment as he has done for the last hundred plus years, had thrown himself full force into making his remaining years with Ianto happy and satisfying for both of them. With Ianto's help, he regained much of his lost empathic skills and while he would never be adept enough to form an empathic bond with Ianto, it was enough that he could sense Ianto's smallest needs and desires.

"Come on Ianto, admit it, I still haven't lost my touch, have I" Jack smirked. He snuggled closer to Ianto and teased his earlobe with his tongue.

Ianto sighed and pushed out. 'Alright, your blow jobs are still out of this world. Just don't get too smug about it.'

"And?"

'I can't believe we're still behaving like horny teenagers.'

"You didn't seem to mind when you were fucking me into the mattress earlier," Jack laughed.

'Oi, you started it you know.'

"And I finished it, of course." Jack leaned over and kissed Ianto's mouth as he watched Ianto's eyes close with exhaustion. He continued to watch Ianto until he was sure he was sleeping peacefully. He couldn't help but notice that Ianto's face had a few more wrinkles than the year before and that he moved a bit slower and more deliberately than he had in the past. 'I only wish I could grow old with you,' Jack thought sadly as he watched his lover sleep.

Ianto and Jack did a bit of traveling mostly in the UK, but spent most of their time in either London or Cardiff. They went to London ever other month or so; the Museum Board met regularly and Ianto tried to attend as many meetings as he could. They also would stop by to see Mickey who was doing an amazing job as head of Torchwood Worldwide as well as visit Stephen and sometimes Jonathan as well.

As they drove back to London following one such meeting Jack laughed as he pointed out Jonathan's confusion at the names of his many grandchildren. "Did you see how Kelly had to keep reminding him of the kids' names. They must have, what, twenty grandchildren?"

Ianto nodded but didn't say anything.

"Oh come on, you heard him… 'Was it Megan's or Regan's birthday last week? And was it Kerry, Mary or Derry's graduation we went to?'"

_'Jack I think there's something wrong with Jonathan.' _

Jack glanced at Ianto for a moment and saw that he was serious. "What…"

_'Eyes on the road please. I don't think it's the number of grandchildren that are confusing him. I think he's losing his memory.'_

"No, you can't be serious. He seemed pretty coherent otherwise, ok, except for the moment when…"

_'He forgot my name? Yeah that was totally bizarre. Something's going on. I'm going to call Stephen tomorrow. Don't know if he'll know or tell me anything, but I have a bad feeling about this.'_

Ianto's hunch was unfortunately correct. Stephen tried to deny knowing anything, but finally acknowledged that Jonathan and Kelly had asked him not to say anything especially to Ianto or Jack.

_'What? Don't they trust us,'_ Ianto said feeling very hurt.

"It's not that at all," Stephen reassured him. "They don't want you to worry. Jonathan specifically said that he didn't want your happiness to be diminished by his, uh… condition."

_'Too late now, don't you think. Please Stephen, did Jonathan have a stroke or is it…'_ Ianto suddenly knew exactly what was going on.

Stephen sighed. "Yeah, it's Alzheimer's. Its progressing very rapidly and none of the drugs seem to be helping. He's got maybe a year or two if he's lucky. But please don't let on that you know."

After he ended the call he turned to go find Jack only to see him standing in the doorway. "Yeah, I heard."

_'This is just the beginning isn't it? I'm the youngest of us all, so I'm going to have to watch everyone else go first.'_

"Come on. Everyone else is doing great. And since most of us are former Torchwood employees, that's saying something isn't it?"

Ianto nodded, but neither of them was fooled. Time was running out for everyone but Jack.

Jonathan died two and a half years later in the spring of 2050.

Three years later Rhiannon was next. She still lived alone on the housing estate where she raised her family, refusing David's invitations to come and live with him and Claire and laughing when Ianto and Jack offered her one of their flats to live in. "Oh yeah, that sounds grand. I can listen to the two of you shagging yourselves silly while I lay in my own bed alone." Rhiannon was adamant that she was just fine where she was.

"She was stubborn up until the very end," David told Ianto at her wake. "Could barely take care of herself but refused to come live with us or move to someplace where she'd have people to help her. 'I came to live here with your father shortly after we were married. I raised my two kids here. And I'm going to die right here in my home.'"

Ianto sighed. _'And she did.'_

The year 2056 brought more change for Ianto. A week before the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Canary Wharf Jack approached Ianto with a serious question. Ianto was sitting in their garden just enjoying the day. The sun was shinning, no rain clouds in sight, and a gentle breeze wafted through the trees.

Jack sat down in a nearby chair. "If I asked you, would you marry me?"

Ianto looked at Jack like he had grown two heads. _'What? Are you daft? Why would we want to do that? It's a little late to make an 'honest man' of me now.'_

"Well maybe not marry but I brought back something for you when I returned from the year I was with the Doctor but then you were gone and with Aaron, and then the time never seemed right."

_'Say again, I'm not following you.'_

Jack groaned to himself. You'd think after knowing Ianto for fifty years this wouldn't be so hard. "The year I was with the Doctor when you had first come to Torchwood Three, remember? I realized then that I wanted to be with you, make it up to you for leaving without telling you. I didn't know two years had gone by and I had planned this whole big reunion thing in my mind and then…"

_'Things did not go according to plan.'_

"No they didn't. You weren't in Cardiff anymore and were living with Aaron. Once I realized that you and Aaron were pair-bonded, I put your gift away until the time was right. I know next week is going to be hard, and I just wanted you to have this," Jack said as he handed Ianto a small box.

Ianto opened it and was stunned to see a ring with a dark grey stone. As he looked at the stone he could see movement within and felt it warm in his hand. _'What is it?'_

Jack snorted. "I guess you could call it a 35th Century mood ring." It reacts to the wearers body heat and is said is to have healing properties. I don't expect you to wear it. I just wanted you to have to before it was too…"

Ianto silenced Jack's last words by standing up and pulling Jack out of his chair for a kiss. 'It's perfect. You're perfect. Everything's perfect, OK?' Ianto kissed Jack again. _'I just have one question. The ring is a bit small. How am I supposed to wear it?'_

"A women would wear it on her hand, but a man wears it around his neck," Jack explained. He pulled a gold chain out of his pocket, threaded it through the ring and hung it around Ianto's neck. "Finally where it belongs."

Ianto smiled. He could feel the stone pulsing against his chest. And there was something comforting and reassuring to feel it there beating almost like a second heart.

They made love that night following the rhythm of the pulsing stone. It wasn't like being in an empathic loop, but something altogether different. Ianto felt like he was floating in a dream where everything was warm and safe. And when Jack entered him and stroked him in time with the stone, he felt his orgasm building until he silently cried out Jack's name and heard it echo through time and space and eternity.

"You will be with me always," Jack whispered as he chased his own orgasm to its peak. Later, as Ianto smiled and began to drift off to sleep he heard Jack repeat "always" one more time.


	97. Partings

**SUMMARY: **Torchwood marks the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Canary Wharf . The first manned mission to Mars is set to begin its three year journey. This chapter is rated G/PG

_**Title is from: **__**Life is made of ever so many partings welded together. Charles Dickens**_

**SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE: IANTO'S JOURNEY AND SEVERAL OTHER STORIES OF MINE POSTED ON FF HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR CHILDREN OF TIME AWARDS OVER AT LIVE JOURNAL. If you've been enjoying this story perhaps you'd like to give it your vote. You do not have to be a member of LJ to vote.**

**Voting instructions can be found here: http:/ aviv-b. livejournal. com/66092. html (Just remove the spaces and copy into your browser). Thanks again for reading this story!**

**VOTING ENDS SEPTEMBER 25TH!**

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'_I'm the last man standing,' _Ianto told Jack as they stood almost alone at Canary Wharf. All the other survivors were dead now and not one relative or friend of all the casualties or survivors showed up. '_I'm seventy-three, so I can understand why there are no other survivors left,' Ianto thought. 'But no one's spouse or children or friend bothered to show up. No one remembers. No one realizes that this is where it started.'_

Only a UNIT honor guard and Mickey and some other Torchwood officials showed up. Ricky as head of Torchwood Cardiff attended and to everyone's surprise, the retired head of Torchwood Two, Archie MacDougal also made an appearance. "He must be in his nineties," Jack whispered to Ianto. "I have to admit, I didn't think he was still alive."

The small group stood at the Monument and listened to the names being read for probably the last time. Afterwards, Mickey took the small group from Torchwood to lunch where he told them that given the attendance, a formal ceremony would next be held on the 75th anniversary of the Battle.

'_Well, I guess we'll all be missing that one, except for perhaps Jack,' _Ianto snarked.

"Yeah," Mickey agreed, "it's a shame that no one will ever know the truth of what happened here."

'_And with the first manned mission to Mars taking off in a few months, people will be looking for aliens in the sky, not here on Earth.' _

"All the rifts seem to be quieter but maybe that's because we can send most displaced aliens back to their time and space coordinates now," Mickey added. "Bowie Base One," he said wistfully. "Makes me wish I was a bit younger; maybe I could have gone on that mission."

They spoke some more about the mission and of how the space station would be built using the landing module as the main component. Several unmanned cargo ships were accompanying the main space craft and would land on Mars several days after the space craft. The team going to Mars was on a one way ticket. They either had to make it work or die.

"Some incentive plan," Ricky laughed. "You lose, you die. You win; you get to live out your life on a barren planet dependent on regular cargo drops from Earth that take three years to reach you. Sounds like fun."

"But it's the first important step in mankind spreading through the stars. Just think, within a few centuries man could be all over this solar system if not the galaxy. Imagine the changes the next several generations are going to see. I don't think there's a larger leap in technology or science for hundreds of years following that," Jack said.

'_What motivates such a rapid increase in space travel? Is it population growth, environmental degradation, war…? I know you can't tell us Jack, but it has to have been something pretty serious to make everyone get up and leave.'_

"You know I can't say anything except that it's a combination of factors. And as far as I know it's an orderly type of emigration, nothing on the order of an evacuation…at least as far as I know."

"So Archie," Jack said changing the subject. "What have you been up to?"

The portly elderly man had been dozing just a bit at lunch and startled as he heard Jack speak to him.

"What? Hmmm… just a little of this and that. Still play a round or two of golf every week; had to give up tennis last year after I slipped and broke my elbow."

'_I feel like a slug. The most exercise I get is from a little gardening when the weather is nice.'_

"You feel like a slug; the rift is so quiet that it's like working in a library," Ricky retorted.

Mickey smiled. "I'll trade you. I'll sit in your library and you can deal with the Prime Minister and his representatives. I spend more time keeping them happy than protecting the planet."

'That'll change,' Jack thought. 'Not during your tenure but one of your early successors is going to have his or her hands full.'

The lunch broke up shortly thereafter. Mickey and Ricky were going to be driving Archie to the train station and they had a planning meeting to conduct later in the afternoon. Jack and Ianto had already paid their respects to Aaron's and the Brigadier's graves early that morning with Stephen and wanted to avoid London end of day traffic.

Ianto didn't talk much as they started the drive back to Cardiff. His thoughts were preoccupied with his being the only living survivor not to mention the fate of the planet. But one person was foremost on his mind on this day of remembrance. _'Jack, I'd like to make a short detour to Swindon, OK?'_

"Sure, what's there?"

'_It's where Charlie Mackenzie is buried. I haven't visited for many years and this seems like the right day to do it.'_

It didn't take them long to find the cemetery as Ianto could remember exactly where it was located. Likewise, he knew precisely where the grave was. Ianto wasn't surprised he remembered the location so well. He'd always had a keen sense of direction, and could almost always navigate his way back to anywhere he had been to before no matter how long ago.

He was surprised when he saw two relatively new graves which upon closer inspection were for Charlie's parents.

'_I just got a card from them at Christmas. I wonder what happened…look they died two days apart from each other.'_

Jack and Ianto stayed just a few more minutes and then headed back to their car to continue on to Cardiff. Ianto searched the Internet with his smart-phone and it wasn't long before he had the answer.

'_Shit. Their car was hit by a drunk driver going down the street the wrong way. The driver was going so fast that the collision pushed their car down an embankment and it rolled several times. Mrs. Mackenzie was killed instantly. Her husband survived the crash but never made it out of the hospital. Drunk driver walked away from the accident uninjured.' _Ianto read a bit more. _'Only family is a niece.'_

Ianto sighed. 'I'm really going to be the last one standing,' he thought.

Jack didn't have to be empathic to know what Ianto was thinking. He didn't say anything but glanced over at Ianto every few minutes until he saw Ianto doze off.

It was Jack's turn to sigh. He worried a lot, probably too much about Ianto's health. He noticed that Ianto was getting a bit more forgetful but Ianto's physician had assured them that this was just part of the normal aging process. Ianto had had one Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) a year before when he had woken up early with numbness in his left hand. He attributed the problem to Jack sleeping on top of it. But when the feeling didn't come back by midday, Jack insisted on taking Ianto to an urgent care facility. By the time he was finally seen, some movement was returning to his fingers and he didn't have any other symptoms. A CT-scan showed no bleeding or clots, so the doctor had him add a low dose of aspirin to his daily regime. Ianto's most recent physical showed no change in his condition.

'The good news is he's in pretty good health for a man his age. The bad news is that he won't be the last man standing,' Jack thought. 'I will.' '


	98. Well & Good

**SUMMARY: **Ianto and his teammates, family and friends grow older. Jack does not. This chpater is rated PG-13.

_**Title is from: **__**Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. **_**_Garrison Keillor_**_**  
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With the Canary Wharf Anniversary behind them, Ianto and Jack settled back into the quiet rhythms of life in Cardiff. A little gardening, leisurely meals they cooked for each other, a weekly visit to the pub with friends, watching old black and white films in Ianto's lounge and occasional gentle lovemaking became the universe around which their lives revolved. Ianto continued to age while Jack did not. And if this bothered Ianto he never said anything to Jack except to encourage him to look a bit older so as to not make people suspicious.

'_I bought you something at the store today,' _Ianto told Jack as he was unpacking several bags he had carried into the first floor flat.

"Sex toys. You bought us sex toys!" As expected, Ianto rolled his eyes. "I've always love when you do that; I just wanted to see if you would."

'_Looks like I should have bought you a blow up doll, 'cause that's what you're going to need if you keep this up.'_

"Dolls are good. We could have a three way."

'_Ok Casanova, sit down and I'll show you.'_

Jack sat down eagerly awaiting his surprise. And he was quite surprised when Ianto pulled out a package of…'

"Hair dye! I don't believe it, you bought me hair dye. I barely have any gray…" Jack looked at the package. "Oh, you bought me hair dye to make me grayer."

'_Yep. It's getting a little embarrassing to be asked about my 'young friend.' They think you're my boy toy or something at Tesco's and the postman asked me the other day if I had any more young studs stashed away.' _Jack snickered. '_Jack its not funny. Please do this for me, I hate having people question our relationship.'_

Jack sighed but in the end agreed. The color came out salt and pepper which really wasn't a bad look for him. He couldn't wait to see the reaction at the next pub night.

The group just stared at him as he sat down with them. Ianto had gone to get the first round of drinks with Andy and Jack was left alone to deal with his team's reaction.

"So your finally starting to look if not act your age," Owen snarked.

"Do I get to call you grandpa now?" Gwen teased.

Jack went to retort, but Tosh got in first "Well I think he looks very dashing and handsome."

Andy smiled, "Yeah for an old guy." Jack was strangely disturbed by these comments. He knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't deny that he was proud of his still youthful appearance. But he wasn't vain of course, never vain.

"Oi, he's sulking," Rhys put in as Ianto and Andy returned.

"Ianto, this is all your fault. I dyed my hair at Ianto's insistence," he told the others, "and look what I get for my troubles." Jack put an exaggerated pout on his face, and truth was he did feel a bit put out.

'_Well I think it's very sexy and since he's going home with me, it's my opinion that counts.'_ Ianto leaned over and gave Jack a big wet sloppy kiss. Everyone groaned.

Jack smiled and pretended to get up from the table. "Well so nice to see you, we'll just be getting home now."

"Hey, where are you going?" "Sit back down." "We were only winding you up."

Ianto pulled Jack back into his chair. 'Be good and I'll reward you later,' he pushed out to Jack. Jack smiled.

And so it went for the remainder of 2056 and the first part of 2057. Then came the two years that Jack would always remember with sorrow.

Rhys was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in May of 2057 and was gone by September. Gwen soldiered on bravely, assisted by her children at her home for a while but eventually agreeing to move in with Ricky and Bronwen.

Ianto and Jack had barely come to terms with Rhys death when they received a call from London. Stephen was dead of a massive heart attack. A neighbor who kept an eye on him became concerned when she hadn't seen him for several days. When the police broke into his house it was apparent that he had been dead for some time. The only comfort Ianto had was when an autopsy showed that he had been dead when he hit the floor.

'_At least he didn't lie there by himself suffering,' _Ianto told Jack as they stood with a few friends and neighbors at the graveside. Of course, as there was no other family, Ianto and Jack had to take care of selling the Brigadier's old house and Stephen's personal effects. With both Stephen and Jonathan gone, Ianto lost the desire to travel to London. New appointments were made to the museum board under his direction, but he chose to limit his contacts with them to text or email.

Jack could see that Ianto's world was gradually shrinking. They still had their weekly pub night, and Gwen still came to almost every one, but a layer of sadness hung over Ianto. And Jack also noticed that Ianto seemed to be struggling a bit with walking, but when he tried to talk to him about it, Ianto denied anything was wrong.

'_Would you give it rest Jack. I'm fine, really. The constant hovering is getting on my nerves.' _And yes, Jack couldn't miss that Ianto was becoming more irritable.

"You know Ianto you are acting like a crotchety old man."

'_I am a crotchety old man. Not all of us look and feel like we're forty.'_ Ianto got up to leave the lounge, he had enough of Jack for one afternoon.

"Hey," Jack said, getting up and following him with concern, "what the hell is the matter with you?" Jack reached out and grabbed Ianto's arm to stop him from storming out. Ianto pulled away from him abruptly, lost his balance and fell hitting his head on the coffee table. The cut wasn't too deep, but like most head wounds, it bled a lot.

More frightening was Ianto not making any sense. _'I can't go fishing today, its too cold outside,' _he typed on his smart phone when Jack asked him how he felt_. 'No don't say you will, I need you to get Shayna from doggie daycare,' _was Ianto's reply when Jack asked him if he could stand up.

Jack found himself coming unglued. He wrapped Ianto's head in a towel and quickly dialed Owen explaining what happened.

"Take him to University Hospital immediately, Tosh & I will meet you there."

Ianto put up no resistance as Jack walked him to the car, buckling him into the passenger seat. Jack drove as fast as he dared to the hospital and was relieved to see that Owen was already there and had alerted the ER staff.

Ianto was lucky. While he had a mild concussion it appeared that the damage was largely superficial. But as time passed Jack could see that Ianto continued to deteriorate both physically and mentally. His balance was affected by the concussion and even with physical therapy he still was a bit unsteady on his feet. He agreed to use a cane, but balked at a walker.

'_Get that thing out of here,' _Ianto said pointing his cane at the walker Jack had brought home. _'I'm not using it and that's final.'_

Jack sighed. "You're going to end up in a wheelchair you know. Another hard fall and that will be it. Do you want that?" Inside, Jack winced. He knew that his comments would only make Ianto more belligerent.

'_Fine, then that's where I'll end up. If its too much trouble for you why don't you just go.' _Once again Ianto got up to leave the lounge and this time Jack didn't stop him.

Jack sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. What the hell was happening to them? They spent as much time arguing now as everything else combined; why was Ianto pushing him away? 'Pushing away..oh, yeah, that actually makes sense.' he thought.

He waited a bit and went into the master bedroom. Ianto was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling.

"Hey, is there room for me?" Ianto didn't say anything but slid over a bit. Jack lay down next to him. "Ianto. Please don't push me away. I know we don't have that much more time together, so please let me help you." Ianto snorted. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to make it easier for me to go on…uh…once you're gone. You think if you make yourself unlikeable enough I'll be glad when you die and won't feel so bad."

Jack saw a few tears trickle down Ianto's face. He propped himself up next to Ianto.

"Look at me Ianto. Pushing me away doesn't make it easier, it actually makes it harder. Don't make me go on alone thinking I didn't take proper care of you. Or that you hate me. I have such a long road ahead and I need to have good memories with you to keep going. Please don't destroy what we have. A thousand years, a million years from now, memories are all I'll have."

He took Ianto into his arms and held him tight, trying to memorize the smell of him, the feel of him, everything about him. Ianto fell asleep soon after but Jack stayed awake the entire night just listening to Ianto breath, watching his brow furrow and then relax as he went into and out of REM sleep, and chuckling when Ianto began to snore. 'You're stuck with me,' Jack thought. 'We're in this together to the end.'

Jack and Ianto settled back into their familiar pattern for a while. Then came a series of falls, with broken bones, more rehab and eventually Ianto was forced to use a wheelchair when they went out for any lengthy period of time. They didn't go to pub night anymore, Ianto was often tired and he refused to use a wheelchair at the pub. Most nights they continued to watch movies or sit in the garden if the weather was nice. Gwen would call them after each pub night and good-naturedly berate them for not showing up.

"We're beginning to think that you don't like us anymore," she told Ianto. "You're not mad at us are you?" Ianto assured her that everything was fine and he was just going through a difficult rehab following his most recent fall. Gwen texted Jack and arranged to meet him when Ianto was next at rehab. They danced around the subject for a while until Gwen thought she would scream.

"What's going on Jack? We hardly see you both anymore." Gwen was shocked when he told her about Ianto using a wheelchair. "I had no idea, none of us did."

"And that's the way he wants it. He'd rather stay home than use it to get around. We argued about it for some time until I just gave up. I don't want to force him to do something he finds embarrassing, but his life now consists of sitting around the house, watching TV and napping."

"Jack Harkness, has anyone every told you that you're an idiot." Jack looked at Gwen in shock. "No seriously, why don't we move pub nights to your house, at least some of them anyway." When Jack didn't say anything, Gwen continued, "What? You can't buy beer and pizza and get out some board games and hang out for an evening? The point is not the pub, it's the being together."

Once Gwen said it, It seemed so obvious. But Jack had been so absorbed in the daily care of Ianto that it hadn't occurred to him that their friends would be happy to come over and spend the evening with them. "I am an idiot. But how do I get Ianto to agree?"

"You just let me take care of that." And she did. The next time there was a scheduled pub night, Gwen called and asked Ianto if he would be able to make it. When he said that he didn't think so, she effectively invited herself and the rest of their friends over for the evening. Ianto was totally caught off guard and found himself agreeing to the idea even though he hadn't checked with Jack.

When he told Jack about his conversation with Gwen, Jack acted totally surprised. "Are you telling me, she just invited herself over?" Ianto nodded.

"Have we ever had a group of people over? What do we need? Ianto you need to make a list for me. I'm not very good at this entertaining stuff."

Ianto sighed and rolled his eyes. Jack had several errands to run and left Ianto busily making plans for the next pub night. He called Gwen from his car and told her how Ianto was busy planning the evening. "I tell you Gwen, I'd come over and give you a big smooch but I think Ricky would kill me. I saw the light come back into Ianto's eyes, now he's got something to put his energy to. I'm hoping that this will be the start of some better times for Ianto.

They alternated between the pub and Jack and Ianto's flats for the next six months. Ianto was still pretty frail, but his energy improved and with that his attitude as well.

Then disaster struck.

Winter came to Cardiff with a vengeance. Not only did it rain, it sleeted and then rained some more and then everything froze into a sheet of ice. Power was out all over town and getting around was treacherous. They had to cancel a pub night and a Ianto night (as they had come to call it) because driving was just too dangerous.

Jack and Ianto had gone to bed early that Saturday. The heat and lights had been out for several hours in the morning, and though it had been restored, the house was still chilly. So when Ianto suggested that they warm things up, Jack was delighted. Their lovemaking had gotten a little raucous and afterwards Ianto was exhausted.

"You never fail to amaze me," Jack told Ianto as they snuggled together under the covers. "I can't remember the last time we carried on like this."

'Hmmm,' Ianto pushed out as he drifted off. Jack smiled and wrapped himself around Ianto tightly and soon dozed off as well.

When Jack's cell rang several hours later, he immediately came awake. Ianto continued to sleep. When he saw the name of the caller he looked at the clock to check the time. 3 AM, this couldn't be good. He tiptoed out of the bedroom and answered the call.

"Ricky, what's wrong."

"Its mum and dad, they've been in a car accident. They decided to go to the pub on their own. Said staying inside was making them crazy. They skidded off the road on the ice. They don't think mum's going to make it, and dad's not much better."

After ascertaining that he and Bronwen were at St. David's Hospital he went and woke Ianto up. They dressed in silence and Jack drove very slowly and carefully to the hospital. Gwen was there having come with when Ricky got the call.

Tosh was in dire condition. Jack and Ianto were allowed to see her for a few minutes. Jack stroked her head and cried while he whispered how much he and Ianto loved her and that she had to fight to get well. Ianto held her hand pushing out to her all the love he had for her. They were hustled out of her room a few minutes later. Ricky and Bronwen stayed outside of Tosh's room while Jack, Ianto and Gwen went to check on Owen.

Owen was bruised and banged up and only semi-conscious. Jack and Gwen whispered words of encouragement while Ianto held his hand. Owen opened his eyes for just a moment, and said "Tosh."

Ianto felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise and he quickly left the room to check on Tosh. He arrived back at her room just in time to see Ricky and Bronwen leave her room sobbing. Ianto didn't have to ask, he knew Tosh had died.

Owen was so badly injured that he couldn't even attend Tosh's funeral. He was in the hospital for almost a month and was then transferred to a rehabilitation facility. And while everyone tried to keep up hope, it soon became apparent that Owen was never going to be able to live independently again.

Christmas that year was a somber occasion. Tosh's death was still on everyone's mind and no one felt like celebrating. To make matters worse, David and Claire & Rose had made arrangements to visit Claire's parents who had retired to Colwyn Bay at the northern end of Wales. Mica was still getting over her divorce from Stuart and had opted to go with some friends on a trip to Belgium. This left Jack and Ianto on their own for Christmas.

Ianto was very depressed and didn't feel much like celebrating anyway. But Jack was not to be deterred. On Christmas Eve, Jack was up in his flat most of the day tending to some year end tax papers he said he had to finish.

A little after 18:00 hours, Jack called Ianto from his flat and asked Ianto to come upstairs. This rarely happened; they mostly stayed in Ianto's lower level flat now, as stairs were difficult though not impossible for Ianto to navigate.

"Come up, I have to show you something."

Ianto sighed. He had just started watching the news on BBC1 and really didn't feel like dragging himself upstairs. Still, Jack didn't ask him to come up all that often, so it was probably something important. 'I hope we're not going to owe even more in taxes on the property than we did last year,' Ianto thought.

As Jack opened the door to his flat he motioned Ianto in with a "Ta Da."

Ianto snorted as he took in Jack's attempts to decorate the flat for Christmas. Garland was strung haphazardly everywhere and flashing lights lined the three windows at the front of the lounge. And on a coffee table in the middle of the lounge was the smallest, scrawniest Christmas tree Ianto had ever seen, complete with tinsel, and colored foil balls that were much too large for it.

'_Oi, is that a tree or a weed gone wild?'_

Jack started to laugh. "When I went to buy a tree, I wanted it to be a surprise and I realized that there was no way I could sneak a big tree up here on my own. And then I spotted this little guy, sitting so lonely at the edge of the lot. He looked like we've been feeling so I just knew he was 'our' tree."

'_Duw, do we really look that pathetic?'_

"Well its not been a great few months, has it? But its Christmas tomorrow and I think we should still celebrate." To Ianto's astonishment Jack had prepared a roast beef, potatoes and spinach for dinner which he served with a 2005 Château Margaux Bordeaux.

Ianto didn't want to think about how much the wine would cost today. He was pretty sure that this was the wine Jack had purchased to celebrate when he was reinstated to Torchwood 3. He thought he remembered that Tosh had told him it had cost almost a thousand pounds back then. 'Tosh, oh fuck,' he thought. Jack noticed the look on Ianto's face and asked him what was wrong.

'_I was just thinking about Tosh…and Owen. Sorry.'_

"Hey, its only right to think of our friends who can't be with us today, what ever the reason. I propose we toast all our friends, past, present and future."

They finished the meal, but Jack wasn't finished with the surprises. He motioned Ianto back into the lounge and turned on some music. Ianto smiled as Pearl Bailey and Hot Lips Page sang "Baby Its Cold Outside." 1940s Christmas music, wasn't that just Jack to a T.

"May I have this dance, Mr. Hamilton-Jones?" Jack said holding out his hand to Ianto.

Who could resist Jack Harkness at his most charming? Ianto certainly couldn't. They continued to dance to the slow song mix Jack had created just for them. Ianto's two favorites were there - Frank Sinatra's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and Jerry Wayne's "I'll Be Home for Christmas, which they danced to several times.

Ianto pushed out to Jack, 'Who would think that we'd have such a lovely Christmas this year?'

"I'll tell you something I learned from actually living through World War II; when the world is crashing down around you, that's the time you need to hold your loved ones the closest."

'Yeah, I'd like to hold you closer still.'

"I think that can be arranged." As they walked towards Jack's bedroom Jack stopped Ianto in the doorway. "Oh look, there's something hanging from the door," Jack teased. Ianto looked up and saw that Jack had attached a huge chunk of mistletoe to the door frame.

'What am I going to do with you, Jack?,' Ianto pushed out.

"Oh, I've got a few ideas," Jack said as he maneuvered Ianto over to his bed.

'I like a man with new ideas.'

"Hey, a handsome young Welshman once told me I was innovative and avant garde."

'Then get over here,' Ianto pushed out pointing to the bed, 'and avant garde me out of my mind.'

"With pleasure," Jack said moving to straddle over Ianto. "Both our pleasures."


	99. Promises

**SUMMARY: **Journey's End. This chapter is rated G/PG.

_**Title is from: Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave.**__**  
**_**_A.A. Milne from Winnie the Pooh_**_  
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**A/N: This is it - only the Epilogue left now. I'll admit to shedding a few tears when I wrote this chapter. This story has been my 'baby' for the last year. But I've got more stories that fit into this verse - stay tuned.****  
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At the beginning of the new year, Ricky was able to find Owen a place at an excellent assisted living facility. But despite frequent visits by everyone, Owen never really recovered emotionally from Tosh's death.

Ianto and Jack noticed that he became less responsive with each passing month.

"Did you notice that Owen hardly put three words together into a sentence?" Jack asked Ianto after a Saturday afternoon visit.

'_And any words he put together were just to answer our questions. He didn't initiate a single sentence of conversation. Its like he's given up.'_

The next time they visited, Ianto brought some pictures from better times to share with Owen but he told them he didn't want to look at them and asked Ianto and Jack to leave.

After several more visits with a non-communicative Owen, Ianto and Jack arranged to meet with Ricky at a local coffee shop to find out what was going on. Ricky's report was not encouraging.

"Its mental more than physical,' he said as he sat with his hands holding an untouched cup of coffee. "He just doesn't want to live anymore. Says his girls are gone and he can't seem the point."

Ricky looked so hurt that Ianto felt sick at heart.

'_That's just his way of speaking. He doesn't say it to hurt your feelings.'_

"Then why does he only want to see Kory. He practically ignores me, and even worse he ignores Bronwen and Gwen. It makes me angry sometimes and then we end up shouting at each other, and then I feel guilty for days afterwards."

Jack had an idea of what might be going on. "Kory is his future. So he's making sure he imparts all his thoughts to her. He's coming to terms with his mortality and he wants to know that he's not left anything unfinished."

Ricky nodded in understanding. "Yeah, makes sense, I guess. But he's really hurt my wife's and Gwen's feelings."

Owen lingered on for almost another year. By the end he was a shrunken specter of his former self. He died just a few weeks before what would have been his 84th birthday. Their small circle of friends was getting even smaller at an alarming pace. It was just Gwen, Andy, Ianto and Jack now.

There was also something to celebrate that year. Rose, who was almost thirty got married to Kai Hughes, another junior professor at Cardiff University. Ianto's eyes glistened as he watching Rose walk down the aisle on David's arm. He wished Rhi was still alive, and Johnny too for that matter. They would have so loved to see their only grandchild get married. Still he was glad he was able to see his lovely great-niece at her wedding. He was surprised when Jack wiped a few of his own tears away. "There's your future Ianto. You can bet her children are going to know all about Uncle Ianto."

At Ianto's insistence, they had left his wheelchair at home that day. While this made Jack very nervous, he understood that Ianto didn't want to have to deal with the inevitable questions that would be raised if he used it. But the truth was that Ianto was finding it increasingly difficult to walk at all on his own anymore. They had visited numerous doctors and finally got a diagnosis. Ianto had Parkinson's Disease. New medications worked well in preventing the dementia often associated with the disease's progression, but science had yet to identify the underlying cause or an effective treatment to stop the physical deterioration.

Even though Ianto had expressly forbidden him to do so, Jack had let David know what was happening. Jack realized that time was truly running out and it wasn't fair to David or Claire or Rose to be left in the dark. So when Christmas 2060 came Jack had made arrangements for the whole family to be together for the first time in many years. Even Mica came from Edinburgh with a girlfriend in tow. It took a moment for Ianto and Jack to understand that Paula was Mica's new partner, not just a friend.

'_Sorry Mica. Your old Uncle Ianto is just a bit clueless I'm afraid.'_

Mica rolled her eyes in classic Jones fashion. "If there's anyone who shouldn't be clueless it's you and Uncle Jack," she said laughing.

"Well, its different with women isn't…" Jack stopped himself when he saw the looks of disbelief on both Mica and Paula's faces. "I mean the term, girlfriend, can mean friend, or…uh…more than a friend."

Mica and Paula just shook their heads at Jack's embarrassment. Jack mimed zipping his mouth closed. "Ok, this is your Uncle Jack, shutting up now before he gets himself in trouble."

Despite an awkward start, it really was a wonderful Christmas. Paula was very smart and funny and Ianto could see that Mica was happier than he had seen her for many years. And Rose and Hughes could hardly keep their hands off each other.

"Oi!" David admonished them. "Could you try to control yourself at least until your alone. You're giving your mother ideas."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Claire said.

"No not bad at all, I just wouldn't have drunk quite so much if I had known…" Everyone laughed. "In the famous words of Captain Jack…this is your father, shutting up before he gets to sleep on the couch."

The evening ended all too quickly. David helped Jack maneuver Ianto from his wheelchair into their car. "Take care, Uncle Ianto," David said kissing him on the cheek, "and don't be giving Uncle Jack too much grief." As Jack and Ianto drove off, David sighed. He was pretty sure this was the last Christmas they would all be together.

Bit by bit Ianto continued to lose ground. Jack would think that Ianto was holding steady for a while and then something would happen to let him know that this just wasn't so. Ianto had been lucky that he had largely escaped the tremors that affected many Parkinson's patients. But in March of 2061, symptoms suddenly appeared and progressed rapidly. By May Ianto couldn't tie his shoes. By June he couldn't cut his own food. Jack had to help Ianto with every task that made up daily life.

Jack bathed, and fed and dressed Ianto and yes, he even changed Ianto when he had an accident. Not surprisingly, Ianto was mortified by his loss of independence and found this downhill spiral almost impossible to cope with. But when Ianto would get upset, mostly with himself, Jack would gently shush him. "Its OK Ianto, I don't mind taking care of you." Ianto could only push out his thoughts out or slowly and laboriously type on an oversized computer keyboard to communicate with Jack; his tremors had increased to where he couldn't handle typing on his phone anymore.

Of all the indignities that Ianto had to put up with, he found being fed the worst. _'Damn it Jack,' I don't want to live this way. I don't want you to remember me this way,'_ he said silently as Jack cut up his salmon.

"Shhh, I will remember everything of all our time together Ianto, not just this."

'_I'm just a blip in time for you Jack, in ten years or a hundred years or maybe a thousand years, you won't remember me.'_

"You will never be just a blip in time, Ianto Jones. When I say I will remember you for all eternity, I mean it. Now hold still and let me wipe your face."

Jack was fearful that Ianto wouldn't make it to his 78th birthday in August. So he arranged for Mica and Paula to make a 'surprise' visit to Cardiff in early July. And Mica and Paula did have a surprise. They had gotten married in Edinburgh a few weeks earlier, and David and Claire arranged for a little wedding party with just immediate family. And yes, it was a 'real' wedding, the United Kingdom having approved full marriage rights and benefits for gay couples the year before.

And Claire insisted that since the whole family would be together and the party would be held at Jack and Ianto's house due to Ianto's lack of mobility, they should celebrate Ianto's birthday at the same time.

There was one more surprise in store for Ianto and the rest of the family.

After all the cake had been eaten and presents for the newlyweds had been opened (Ianto insisted on no presents for himself) Rose called for everyone's attention as she had an announcement she wanted to make.

Her voice quivered a bit as she told everyone that she and Kai were expecting a baby just after the start of the next year. Claire and David went a bit bonkers at the news. They were finally going to get the grandchild they had almost given up hope for.

"And there's one thing I'd like to ask of Uncle Ianto." Ianto was barely able to make eye contact with Rose. He already knew what the question was going to be and why she was going to ask it. He looked up and smiled at her to hide his regret that he was never going to see the birth of this child.

"We already know that we're going to have a boy. Hugh and I would like to name the baby for you Uncle Ianto and your father if that would be alright."

"Ianto Selwyn Hughes has a nice sound to it, don't you think," Kai added.

Ianto used every ounce of willpower to keep from losing it front of his family. _'I'm so surprised I'm speechless, _:) _.'_ Ianto slowly typed on his keyboard. Everyone laughed except Jack who excused himself so he could into the kitchen and cry in private. David got up from the sofa he was sitting on in the lounge to go get him, but Ianto shook his head 'no.'

'_Really, that's so beautiful Rose, I'd be honored to have your son named for me and my father. And thank you Kai, that was very generous of you to let Rose give both names for her side of the family.'_ Kai smiled. He adored Rose and if this made her happy, he was delighted to go along with it.

Jack came back into the lounge and congratulated Rose and Kai. "It's been a long time since we had to buy any baby gifts. I think the last one was for Kory and she's almost out of high school.'

'_Jack, don't be daft, the last gifts were for Bethen and Tegwen, Gwen's twin granddaughters.' _

"You're right," Jack said smiling. "I'd forgotten about them. They must be almost teenagers. Gods help us"

Everyone remarked how quickly the years passed. Ianto agreed thinking, 'way too fast, mine are just about over.'

Jack realized that he both agreed and disagreed. 'I'd do anything to slow down time right now, but once Ianto's gone, I wish there was some way to accelerate time to the end in something less than eternity.'

It turned out that having the party early was a fortuitous decision. Two weeks later, Ianto caught a summer cold, which rapidly turned into pneumococcal pneumonia. Ianto was hospitalized for a few days and then discharged when he began to get better. Unfortunately, the infection returned a second time and proved to be resistant to every antibiotic available. He was having bouts of uncontrolled coughing and the fluid in his lungs was making it painful to breathe.

The third day of his second hospital stay, Ianto looked at Jack dozing at his bedside. He looked so sad and tired and Ianto knew he looked and felt the same way. He reached out for Jack's hand and Jack stirred, immediately becoming attentive to Ianto.

'Jack,' Ianto pushed out, 'I want to go home.' Jack began to protest, but Ianto continued, 'please Jack, I don't want to die in this hospital. Take me home.'

Against doctor's advice, Jack signed Ianto out and they went home. Completely bedridden, Ianto insisted that he didn't want to see his family during his last few days.

'We had such a nice party a few weeks ago, let them have that as their last memories of me. I can't even type now…or say goodbye, what's the point.'

There was one person Ianto did want to see. And that was Gwen. Jack brought her back to the house one evening. And to Ianto's surprise, he also brought Ricky and Bronwen and Andy. "I'm sorry," Jack apologized afterwards. "You know how Gwen is, she insisted that Ricky and Bronwen come with her, and then Andy showed up, and…I screwed up, didn't I."

Ianto pushed out, but it was getting harder for him to do so. 'No you didn't. It was nice…really… better than I thought...more good news.'

"Yeah, wasn't that a corker. Ricky and Bronwen expecting a baby. She's what, forty-five? And a boy to be named for Owen." Jack looked at Ianto and saw that he had fallen asleep.

Jack sighed. Ianto was so thin and frail now that his pajama bottoms would have fallen off him if they hadn't had a draw string waist. Jack stroked Ianto's face, then kissed his forehead, cheek and lips. He got undressed and spooned around Ianto holding him close. He could feel Ianto's hip bones protruding as well as the outline of his ribcage. Ianto had never been very heavy, but now he literally was skin and bones. A small part of Jack was furious with himself for letting Ianto leave the hospital but the larger part knew it was time to let Ianto go. He held Ianto tighter and finally fell into a light sleep.

Several hours later, Jack was woken by Ianto coughing. He turned on the bedside lamp and helped Ianto to sit up. Ianto continued to cough until his throat was spasming. He tried to draw a few deep breathes but that started the coughing all over again. Jack could sense the pain Ianto was in. Ianto's lungs were filling up and he was slowly drowning his own fluids.

Ianto looked at Jack and nodded. They had talked about this a few days ago and now all that was left was to act. Jack went into the bathroom and came back with a bottle of narcotic cough medicine. "Are you sure, Ianto?"

'Yes…sure,' Ianto pushed out.

"You know I love you…" Jack began but Ianto raised his eyebrows and nodded toward the door. Jack unscrewed the top of the bottle and Ianto took the almost full bottle with trembling hands. Jack leaned over and kissed Ianto on the forehead. "I'll just go make a cuppa for me. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Jack waited the agreed upon ten minutes before returning to the bedroom. Ianto was smiling sleepily at him. The bottle was almost empty. Jack climbed back into bed beside Ianto and moved so that Ianto was leaning against Jack. Jack held one of Ianto's hands and rubbed circles over Ianto's heart. "Oh Ianto, what am I going to do without you. You've been with me, in my heart, for almost fifty years. Even when you were with Aaron, I never stopped loving you. Not for one minute. And I know you don't believe me, but I will never stop loving you and I will never forget you."

Jack could see that Ianto's eyes had fallen closed and he continued to breathe a little raggedly. Jack closed his eyes, and to his surprise he could still feel a small empathic connection with Ianto. He watched as a vision of Ianto in a wheelchair appeared. Ianto looked as he did now, old and frail as he slowly pushed himself along. Jack watched as Ianto began to change as he pushed himself along. Was this a dream? Or a hallucination? Jack wasn't sure.

As he continued to watch he could see that Ianto was moving toward a bright light. And with each turn of the wheels, Ianto became a little younger looking. Soon Ianto was out of the wheelchair and was walking with his cane. A few moments later Ianto looked like he did when he was in his forties. And he was walking with ease. Ianto stopped and peered toward the light. Jack could see the silhouette of a man in the light. Ianto continued on and Jack was startled to realize that Ianto looked young again. Not quite as young as when Jack had first met him, but about the age he had been when Jack had taken over Torchwood London.

Jack wanted to open his eyes, to wipe away this illusion but he couldn't. Ianto was approaching the light when the man in the shadows stepped out. It was Aaron. And he looked about the same age as Ianto. Aaron held out his arms and took Ianto into an embrace.

'Oh no,' Jack thought. 'This isn't real. I know that when you die there's nothing out there.'

As if they had heard him, Ianto and Aaron turned and looked at him. Straight at him. Ianto raised one eyebrow and smiled. Aaron nodded to Jack and then they both turned and disappeared into the light.

Jack sat up and gasped as if he were recovering from one of his deaths. He hadn't been dead had he? Jack felt confused and a bit frightened as he realized that he was still in bed with Ianto.

He felt Ianto's neck for a pulse, and it was there…barely.

"I love you Ianto," he whispered.

Jack almost jumped out of his skin when Ianto opened his eyes. He smiled at Jack and took a last gasping breath. "Love…you…Jack," Ianto said as his eyes fell shut.

Jack felt for a pulse but Ianto was gone. He sat shaking on the bed still holding Ianto. He didn't understand, but somehow Ianto had spoken, actually spoken for the first and the last time since Canary Wharf. And now he was gone. Jack continued to hold Ianto until he could feel his body start to cool.

Finally Jack got out of bed and kissed Ianto one last time. "I won't ever forget you." He took the stone ring from around Ianto's neck and pushed in at two of the corners. The stone tilted up at one side and Jack retrieved a tiny data chip from under the stone. He deftly inserted the chip into a special compartment hidden on his wrist strap. He pushed the stone back into its setting and put the ring back around Ianto's neck.

Jack would go on, he had no other choice. But now he had indestructible memories of Ianto's smell and touch, his appearance, even his empathic 'voice' that would help him remember Ianto. 'When I said I would always remember you, I meant it,' he thought.

Jack smiled; Ianto was at peace, maybe young and healthy with Aaron, maybe not. Jack didn't know if what he saw was real, a dream, his imagination or something else all together. The only thing he was certain of was that Ianto's earthly Journey had ended.

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Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. **Dr. Seuss**


	100. Epilogue Eternity

******SUMMARY: **Eternity is what you make of it. This chapter is rated G/PG.  
_**Title is from: **__**Immortality - a fate worse than death. Edgar A. Shoaff**_

_**THIS STORY IS NOW COMPLETE:**__**  
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A/N - I hope you've had as much enjoyment reading this story as I've had writing it. But even though IJ is over don't despair. I'll be posting some Schmoop Bingo stories I've been working on. All stories will be Torchwood and some will be from this verse. Look for the **IJ_verse **tag in A/N for stories that fit into this universe.

Thank you all again for reading and commenting. It really means a lot to know that you have invested the time and energy to read this story from beginning to end.

**Ok - its your last chance to comment - don't be shy!**

Special A/N: And don't forget, **Ianto's Journey as well as several other stories posted on have been nominated for a Children of Time Award over at LiveJournal**. If you've enjoyed this story, you might want to give it your vote. A complete list of stories/nomination categories may be found at my LJ: **http:/ aviv_b. livejournal. com /66092. html **(Just remove spaces and paste in your browser). You do not have to be a member of LJ to vote. **Voting ends Sept 25, 2010**.

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**January 2077**

Gwen sighed as she closed her diary. It was just her now. She didn't have much longer to live. Nothing was seriously wrong but at almost ninety-six years old she had a clear sense of her mortality. She wasn't complaining, mind you. She had lived almost a whole century and been privileged to see 'when it all changed.' But she was tired now and more than ready to have a long rest.

After Ianto's death, Jack hadn't stayed around long. They buried Ianto in London, next to Aaron with the other Hamilton's. She hadn't been to this cemetery since Aaron's funeral right after the Invasion. Stephen was buried there as well, and not too far away, Jonathan and Kelly were also interred. She, Andy, Mickey and Martha were the only ones of their generation left to attend.

Jack gave a beautiful eulogy for Ianto, and David, Mica, and Rose said a few words as well. Ricky and Bronwen were there as well, and it was comforting to see Rose and Bronwen comparing notes on their pregnancies and their choices for names. Rose's baby was due just after the start of the new year and Bronwen was due in March. Two little boys, one named for Owen and Jack and the other for Ianto, the three men she loved the most after her husband.

Jack told her then that once he had settled up Ianto's estate and sold the house, he was leaving Earth. He wouldn't tell her where in space or time he was going, but promised her that he would visit Earth periodically. They had agreed not to meet again for fear of crossing timelines or for Jack inadvertently dropping a 'spoiler.'

Gwen didn't really think he would come back to Earth but she was wrong. Once a year, every year since Jack had left a yellow rose was left at the house she lived in with Ricky and Bronwen. The first one in Cardiff took her totally by surprise. Bronwen found it by the front door wrapped in paper with her name on it.

"Mum," Bronwen called to Gwen. "You've got a secret admirer."

Gwen stared at the rose wondering who it was from when it hit her. Jack, it had to be from Jack. "It's from Captain Jack." Bronwen looked at her like she was crazy.

"No really, look at the date, its' August 19th, Ianto's birthday. He said he would visit…I bet there's a rose on Ianto's grave today. Bronwen thought Gwen was getting a little ditsy in her old age, but by the afternoon her curiosity got the better of her. She called Ricky and told her what Gwen had said. Ricky emailed Mickey and told him what Bronwen had related.

Mickey also thought Gwen was daft, but eventually he headed out to the cemetery to see for himself. Only Gwen wasn't surprised when he called and reported that there was a red rose on Ianto's headstone. And when he ran into the caretaker, he found out that a man in a 1940's British military coat was seen by the grave early that morning.

"Yeah, the cemetery wasn't even open, and there he was, just standin' there. I was going to confront him, but I saw he had the rose and was crying. So I reckoned he was heartbroken and just left him alone."

Fifteen years had passed since then and a yellow rose still appeared at her door every August 19th.

When Mickey had retired from Torchwood One in 2065, Ricky had taken over his position. He, Bronwen, Owen Jack and Gwen had all moved to London. And like clockwork the rose appeared at their new home right on schedule. Gwen and Bronwen got into the habit of going to the cemetery on that day, taking little OJ (as he was called) with them until he was old enough to go to school. The red rose was always there to greet them. They would put the yellow rose on Aaron's grave in remembrance.

Now OJ was now almost fifteen. While he was a bright child, he was quite rebellious and quite trying for his older parents. Gwen seemed to be the only person who could get him to clean his room, or take out the garbage or show up for meals.

"You know, your Gran's getting quite old," she told him after one row between him and Ricky, "so could you just show to Sunday dinner without a big fuss."

"He's always riding me, nothing I do is ever good enough," OJ retorted.

"Yeah? Funny thing that. He used to say the same thing about his father. Let me tell you a story about the time…" Amazingly, OJ loved Gwen's stories and always listened to them patiently asking questions to fill in the blanks. Gwen knew he'd turn out fine; he just had to grow up a bit. Not surprising for a child named after Owen Harper and Jack Harkness.

The rest of the Torchwood children had almost all grown up. Kory had been in college at the time her family had moved to London and had opted to stay in Cardiff and attended university there. Now she had just turned thirty-four and had a daughter of her own named Tonia (for Tosh) who was ten.

Rhys Jr. had just retired and his children were grown and had lives of their own. Rhys III was married and but he and his wife had no children as of yet. And Bethan and Tegwan were thirty, still both single and still both raising hell in Cardiff.

Rose's son Ianto was the polar opposite of OJ. Quiet and thoughtful like his namesake he already knew that he wanted to join Torchwood like his Uncle Ianto or maybe join the Royal Marines like his Uncle Aaron. He had never met either one of them but Rose told him stories of them, of Ianto at Canary Wharf and Torchwood Three, Ianto and Aaron at Torchwood One and finally of Ianto and Captain Jack back in Cardiff.

As Gwen closed her eyes, she felt fully contented. The Torchwood children would find there way into a new world with new challenges and they would be ready.

Gwen died peacefully in her sleep in October of 2077. She was buried back in Cardiff next to Rhys with her children, grandchildren and the rest of her Torchwood family to mourn her passing.

No one noticed a man in a dark greatcoat standing in the shadows watching the funeral. After everyone had left, he laid a last yellow rose on the freshly laid earth.

Jack's life continued on through the ages until his demise, many hundreds of billions of years in the future.

**2100**** * **-Mars is successfully colonized.

- A red rose still appears on Ianto's grave every year.

**2106 **- In June the caretaker at the cemetery in London notices a tall man dressed in a red buccaneer jacket and high leather boots lay something on top of the Hamilton-Jones headstone. As walks over to speak to the man, he disappears into thin air. Upon inspection, he finds what looks like a small piece of coal. Begin superstitious he doesn't remove it. There's a small scrap of paper underneath crammed with writing. He can make out most of it. "…tried to come…but… detained…by Master. Diam….anniv…ry….will….remember…"

**2156 **- Earth Central declares bankruptcy and the Earth Alliance of Corporations takes control of the planet. Earth's colonization of the galaxy continues. Many of the Torchwood descendants leave Earth. These descendants agree to give the middle name "Torchwood" to all of their generations to come.

- Red roses continue to appear each year on Ianto's grave.

**2850 **- Earth's environment is destroyed by solar flares. The remainder of the Torchwood descendants leave Earth. They too have adopted the tradition of Torchwood naming.

- Red plants that don't require oxygen are still left on Ianto's grave.

**4206** -The Earth's environment is gradually restored. Colonists from around the galaxies return to Earth. A few Torchwood descendants are among them.

- These descendants have heard the myth of Ianto and the Red Rose. They find what they believe to be the grave of Ianto Jones among others, in an overgrown field. The writing on the stones has long worn away. They visit the field on what they believe to be August 19th and find a wilting red plant at the grave. Right grave, slightly wrong calculation of the date. They also find a pile of 22 small uncut Arcadian Diamonds.

**4900 **- Human's re-pollute the planet leading to a second global warming. Winter ceases to exist on most of the planet. Many of Earth's inhabitants once again leave and spread out across many solar systems.

- A few of the Harper descendants end up on the Boeshane Peninsula. Over the next millennium some of their descendants' names are gradually transformed to Harperness (adopting the Boeshane convention of adding 'ness' to a last name to signify 'descendants of') and finally to Harkness.

**200,000 **

- Earth is covered with megacities, with a population of 96 billion. It is the centre of the galactic domain of the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire that stretches across a million planets and species.

- One small section of land remains undeveloped. An impenetrable force field surrounds a field within New London. No one remembers what was there, but speculation is that it is protected by some powerful aliens from the future.

- No one notices a red rose being left at a particular site within the protected area each year and a black shiny stone left at the same location every hundred years on the 6th year of the new century.

**5,000,000,023**

- The Earth supports no life of any kind.

- A Sister of Plenitude (also known as a Cat Person) travels from New New New York on New New New Earth to Earth to lay a new new new rose at pre-determined location coordinates. She has no idea the meaning of this act, but does it as part of her nurses training under Novice Hame at the New New New York hospital.

- She lays the rose on a pile of shiny stones.

**5,000,000,053**

-The Doctor travels to New, New New York to save the inhabitants of the city and say goodbye to an old friend.

-Novice Hame travels to Earth to lay a last rose at the coordinates specified by the Face of Boe. The planet is biologically dead and sustains no life. She finds a group of 35 stones at the precise coordinates in an overgrown field. She leaves the rose on top of the stones.

As the Face of Boe closes his eyes for the last time, he is surprised to see a bright light and a crowd of people standing within it. Confused, he hesitates. Who are they? Where is he?

As he gets nearer he is shocked to see people and aliens with familiar faces stepping forward. It's all his friends and lovers starting from the most recent and working backwards. They race by him and disappear in a flash.

And then he sees beyond…"It can't be…but that looks like…" And it is. It's Tosh and Owen and Gwen and Rhys, and Martha and Tom and Mickey and Andy…he's realizes he has a body again and he's running, actually running and there's a final group that steps out from the light.

It's John Hart, Alonso, Aaron and Ianto, and as he nears them he reaches out for them and trips. Everything goes dark. He feels utterly at peace. Jack's journey is over.

**THE END**  
_

*Infomation for this timeline was found at the Tardis Index File (A Doctor Who Wiki)


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